I've been reading a few of the popular Inspector Rebus books by Ian Rankin. They're based in Scotland, as is author Rankin. Bank Note Reporter recently featured a story by Kerry Rodgers about Scotland's new bank notes.

So I was alert to things Scotland when I noticed news that those notes could be the last Scottish issues.

A proposed change to banking regulations would require the three banks that issue notes in Scotland to keep money on deposit with the Bank of England longer, which might cause the issuing banks to rethink their issue of bank notes.

Here's a story on the topic from 'Scotsman' newspaper. And an Edinburgh reader's response to that article. And here's the BBC's story on the topic.

Apparently the change would result in loss of free ATMs in Scotland.

And, no surprise, it hasn't taken long for people to try to cash in on the situation.

The three note-issuing banks in Scotland are the Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland.