On: Understanding British Money: What's a Quid? A Shil...

[Symbiote]

It's also illustrated with the £1 coin that was withdrawn 5½ years ago, and banknotes that are also all withdrawn years ago.

It's also incorrect to say visitors won't deal with £50 notes. They're rarely in ATMs but they are common when exchanging cash abroad.

[notahacker → Symbiote]

It's correct to say visitors shouldn't deal with £50 notes if they can possibly help it, because they will generally struggle to pay for anything with them though..

[ghaff → notahacker]

Anything over a $20 bill has been hard to use in many/most stores for a very long time in the US (which seemingly at one point decided to freeze currency denominations in amber--see also penny--which I assume is permanent at this point as less and less cash gets used). But $100 bills at least were in pretty common use overseas. I still tend to carry some as backup cash.

[Symbiote → notahacker]

They shouldn't have any problems in London, especially at places tourists typically frequent.

I once worked at such a place, and the till would be stuffed with £50 notes by the end of lunchtime.

I realise it's different north of Watford.

[denton-scratch → Symbiote]

£50 notes were popular for criminal transactions, and also they were widely forged; I don't know whether that's still the case, but I'm very reluctant to accept a £50 note. If a shopkeeper checks it and decides it's a forgery, they have to take it off me for nothing, and I'm down fifty nicker.