Every day I learn new things here. For instance: there are multiple "brands" of currency here. Normally when I pull money out of a cash machine, it is Bank of England. However, a few weeks ago I received some RBS notes as change. I hesitated, because I was thinking - "what the hell is this? Everyone knows RBS is totally fucked, right?" So I just got rid of it as soon as possible, and later Wikipedia told me all about it:
Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes are unusual, firstly because they are issued by retail banks, not central banks, and secondly, as they are not legal tender anywhere in the UK � not even in Scotland or Northern Ireland � they are in fact promissory notes.
...
the notes are sometimes refused in England and Wales, and are not always accepted by banks and exchange bureaus outside of the United Kingdom.
