Shortly after National BanK Series C General Issue banknotes entered circulation, the The Bank Notes (Ireland) Act 1920 removed the requirement of banks to make payment on their notes at the branch of issue, stated on the note, as well as at the head office. The requirement to state the branch of payment on a note had lead to all the branches being stated on every note.
The 1920 Act allowed for the removal of branch listings on the notes (leading to Series D for the National Bank issues, which the bank considered to be a new issue). The bank yet again redesigned its notes, the second major redesign during the transition of Irish currency from old designs. Printing on both sides had already been introduced on £1 notes, and it is likely that reverse printing was planned for further issues of the other denominations. All notes are of similar size. The first issued note is a £1 note dated 2 September 1921.
Apart from the omission of the bank’s branch listings, the central area was redesigned slightly to use the space previously occupied by the list of branches. The bottom denomination box was moved up on the three lower denominations, and on £1 and £5 notes the bank’s crest and the denomination medallion were moved down by a similar degree, whilst on £10 notes the upper denomination medallion remained in the same position.
The partition of Ireland lead to the partition of Irish currency into separate issues in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Free State in 1929. This resulted in The National Bank Limited withdrawing its Series D notes and replacing them with a new design for the first National Bank Northern Ireland Issue.
There are two Types for Series D banknotes by signature: Type A, signed R. C. Wilson (1922–1924) with watermark THE NATIONAL BANK LIMITED; Type B signed J. Brown (1924–1927) with watermark THE NATIONAL BANK LIMITED and a shamrock on either side. These two Types divide into several variations. Printed area 144 x 84 mm.
Type A
Type B
An image of all known dates of each denomination of Series D is in the National Bank Series D 1921-1927 Date Listings section: £1 Notes, 12 dates; £5 Notes, 7 dates; £10 Notes, 3 dates.
The two shamrocks are visible in the enhanced illustration below of a 1924 One Pound note. Part of the text of "BANK LIMITED" is also discernable on the bottom. The text "THE NATIONAL" in two lines, which is above this is obscured by the printed area of the note.
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