Brits have been urged to check their cash at home for an “extremely rare” and valuable £5 note. These notes, which have a tiny etching of a famous author on part of the clear plastic, could be worth as much as £50,000.
Four of these fivers were etched in 2016 by artist Graham Short to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death the following year. The image of Austen can be found on a clear plastic part of the note, next to Big Ben.
In a video posted to social media platform TikTok, expert The Coin Collector UK urged people to look out for the notes. He said: “Check your fiver, it may be worth £50,000.
“In 2016, when the new polymer notes were first released, four extremely rare £5 notes with a tiny portrait of Jane Austen were released into circulation by Graham Short.
“The portrait can be found on the clear window of the note next to Big Ben. It will be very hard to see and may require a magnifying glass. Here are the serial numbers to look out for.”
The serial numbers found on these notes are:
- AM32 885551
- AM32 885552
- AM32 885553
- AM32 885554.
According to the Coin Collector, each one was spent in a different country within the UK – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. But he advised that only one remains to be discovered.
He continued: “So far three are known to have been found. They are estimated to be worth in the tens of thousands due to their rarity.
“And the time that went into producing them, Short has also been involved in other similar projects. In 2018 he engraved five pound notes with Harry Kane after he won the Golden Boot at the World Cup.
“These are also thought to hold a similar value. He also engraved the Queen’s portrait onto a speck of gold. This sold for £100,000.”