Brits have been advised to examine their banknotes for specimens that could fetch up to £10,000. An expert suggests that particular notes bearing King Charles III’s image might prove exceptionally lucrative.
It’s essential to scrutinise their serial numbers for those coveted by enthusiasts. This identifier appears on the reverse of the note in the lower right-hand corner.
Generally, the lower the serial number, the more precious the note becomes, though specific additional numbers and sequences are equally sought after.
In a clip shared on TikTok, a specialist known as the Coin Collecting Wizard provided further insight. He said: “£10,000 for a King Charles banknote, have you seen this in the news? Let’s find out.
“Yes, there are King Charles banknotes you can now find out in the wild and some may be valuable due to specific serial numbers. But let’s not go crazy as £10,000 for a banknote is crazy.
“But if you were to find a low serial number banknote then maybe, just maybe.” He outlined what collectors should seek regarding the serial number.
The specialist continued: “Notes with very low serial numbers, especially ones beginning with a ‘AA’ or ‘1’ tend to attract the most interest as these are from the very first batches printed. Other desirable serial numbers include repeating patterns like ‘123456’ or ’11 11 11 11′, palindromic numbers eg ‘2002’ and numbers with historical significance such as his birthday.
“So if you find a King Charles banknote in your change check that serial number carefully. It could be worth much more than face value to a collector.”
He highlighted some specific sequences that collectors might find particularly appealing:
- 123456
- AA01
- 22222222
- 1000003
The Bank of England’s website corroborates the significance of these numbers for enthusiasts, stating: “Ignored by many, the serial numbers on our banknotes are one of a number of features that can spark huge interest among banknote collectors.
“When we release a new banknote, we hold back some of the first printed notes with especially low or symbolic serial numbers. We donate these to people and institutions that were involved in the development of the note or who traditionally receive a note when a new series is issued.”
These are often auctioned off for charity with an auction of newly released £20 notes in 2020 raising a combined £143,420.