Anyone had problems having Scottish money changed here? I had about 4k from a casino back home, but they refused the Scottish notes. No plan to be back in the UK until 2014 so would like the Dibs!

they aren't accepted here for some reason, had same problem when family visited us last year.

The media rotana had a different exchange rate for the Scottish Pound to the British one when I first moved over. Had an argument with them about that.

Three exchange rate houses have refused them now. Barstewards!

Tell us more. 4k GBP is quite a fistful.

This isn't unusual, I used to have the same problem when I lived in Germany (as a Scot this annoyed me more than a little). Put yourself in the position of the bank/exchange. They have pictures of various countries currency, because they can't be completely familiar with them all. UK currency is pounds sterling and those will be the only ones they know about, not the various Scots banks own notes.

I'm pretty sure one of the currency exchange places (Al Fardan??) on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall still lists the Scottish pound as a different currency. So, I'm presuming they would accept and exchange it. Might be worth a call...

I'll buy them at 1.5 to 1? Gets you a full 6'000 AED for your not recognised notes and no commission to pay either.

Provided they are used non-sequential unmarked bills of course!

Due to some such obscure technicality, paper money isn't even legal in Scotland.......... this is on Wikipedia:

Technically, no paper money, whether issued by the Bank of England or by one of the various Scottish or Northern Irish banks chartered to print notes, is mandated to be legal tender in Scotland

I will try to find out more about that, but there may be some obscure reference in some document or other that has found its way over here.......

Legal tender is often assumed to mean more than it really does. Scottish banknotes are certainly legal currency in Scotland...

The reason that Scottish notes are worth less than English notes, is because only notes underwritten by the Government's Bank (The Bank of England) are guaranteed.

For example, a Scottish note issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland - if they were to go bust etc - would not be guaranteed. Whereas a note underwritten by the Bank of England would be.

So everywhere in the world you will find this reflected in the value of the note and some places will not accept Scottish currency for this reason.

of course any true Scot knows they are worth double

Except that the Scottish banks have to deposit the equivalent of their notes in circulation in Pounds Sterling with the BoE - thus, indeed, their notes ARE guaranteed, indirectly, by the Bank of England.

Wish there was more to tell. 200 in my pocket, took it to around 1k on BJ. Moved onto 3 card poker and won the rest on the equivalent of "pairs plus". Got 3 x 3 of a kind (paid 21-1) and some straights. Flook rather than calculated risk. If I'd been a little more sobre I'd have left it at 800up. Nice to have a big win though, defo my biggest and I have far too many to tell leaving at 2k down. My biggest yet and an honest 200 stake for me.

Your earlier/first posts indicate you have some more impressive stories to tel though.

Al Ansari will exchange them, slightly lower rate than Bank of England. They have pictures of Clydesdale Bank notes on their leaflets!

In other news, assent was given today for a 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.........

The SNP wants to be outside the UK, inside the EU - but keep the pound.......

I'm a proud Scot, but I think things are about right as they are. If that daft Salmond **** gets his way we are doomed.

True story - just after my wife arrived in Scotland (not as it sounds), we were at Portsoy boat festival. Alex Salmond walked towards us and I said to Katia "that's the daft twat that wants an independant Scotland". He heard me and elbowed me in the ribs. Don't know whether I'm impressed or disappointed in him. Even fools have the right to their oppinion, correct?