Exeter £E15 becomes history

As the Exeter Pound goes into the next chapter, they’re saying goodbye to the limited edition £E15 note. The note features Exeter Chiefs and England star Jack Nowell in action and celebrated the 2015 Rugby World Cup coming to Exeter.

The special note, valid until 31st December 2015, 4 months after the Exeter Pound officially launched, is now part of the project’s unique history.

Director, Martyn Goss, was pleased with the success of both the note and the rugby: “World Cup rugby made a really constructive difference to Exeter last year. We hope the Exeter Pound will continue to make a positive difference this year and beyond”.

Now that it has expired, you can no longer spend the £E15 note in businesses which accept the local currency. But there is still time to do one of two things if you have these notes.

You can take it to one of Exeter Pound’s 9 exchange points, and swap it for other denominations of the local money, or keep it, as a memento of the year.

Exchange points will be able to swap them for you until 31st January, after which time they can’t be accepted. If you’re a business owner, you can bank these notes as normal, up until the end of the month.

To find your nearest exchange point, check out the online directory, which can be found on the Exeter Pound website.

If you still want to get your hands on a £E15, featuring Jack Nowell from the Exeter Chiefs, you can buy them on the online shop, in framed sets, presentation packs or by themselves.

The £E1, £E5, £E10 and £E20 notes are still very much in circulation, and there is always a supply of these at exchange points.

They celebrate iconic and loved parts of Exeter’s culture, whether that be a spot of magic on Gandy Street, or a historic football match poster, and all are by local artists and photographers.

The Exeter Pound project continues to attract new businesses, and there are currently 131 signed up and taking the local currency.

All of the other notes expire on 30th September 2018. When this time arrives, the project team will phase them out, as they are currently doing with the £E15. But this time there will be a replacement set of notes, with new designs, which will be introduced with a grace period so that no one loses out.

This part of the scheme has worked successfully in Bristol, Totnes and Brixton, so the Exeter Pound looks forward to following in their footsteps by creating a sustainable, lasting local currency that can benefit everyone in the city.