LONDON (AP).- The Royal Bank of Scotland on Wednesday is celebrating the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II by issuing 20 million pounds ($31 million) worth of 10-pound notes with four images of the queen from the 1940s to the 21st century.

Notes with special serial numbers have been donated to several charities including the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust, Oxfam, the National Museum of Scotland, Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Golf Union and a children's help organization.

A charity auction of the notes and others is planned later this year to raise money for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Charity Trust.

"We're hoping that auctioning the commemorative note will raise money to help young people in Scotland set up their own business," said Geoff Leaks, director of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust.

The Royal Bank of Scotland was the first to issue notes bearing the monarch's image, starting from its foundation in 1727 during the reign of George I. The Bank of England didn't issues notes with the monarch's image until 1960, RBS said.

The new 10-pound note is an upgrade for the monarch. RBS issued a 5-pound note in 2002 to mark her 50th year as queen.

Customers outside Scotland can order up to 20 notes for the face value plus 5.90 pounds postage.

The notes can be spent throughout the United Kingdom.

The Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank also issue Scottish notes, while four banks issue notes in Northern Ireland. Pound notes are also issued by the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, Gibraltar, St. Helena and the Falkland Islands.




Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.