The fervour for collecting rare coins has recently hit new heights.
Yet, it seems banknotes should also capture attention, especially those graced by King Charles III, which might be more valuable than one realises – with some potentially fetching thousands.
The King adorned notes emerged on June 5, 2024, featuring His Majesty’s portrait across £5, £10, £20 and £50 denominations, leaving the rest of the design unchanged. With these notes in circulation, it’s crucial to check for noteworthy serial numbers that could carry significant worth.
A TikTok influencer @CoinCollectingWizard, with a following of 216,000, underscored this point, saying: “Now there are King Charles banknotes out in the wild, collectors are looking for low and unique serial numbers…”
“Coins which feature the King are already found in people’s change but banknotes required lots of preparation. Shoppers can and will still be able to use Queen Elizabeth II banknotes.
“Low serial numbered notes on new issues are of huge interest to collectors and can be found on the old Queen Elizabeth notes too.”
So how much are the serial numbers worth? According to the TikTok user, the lowest numbers of a £5 note could fetch anywhere between £250 to £500. While the £10 and £20 notes could sell for a staggering £500 and £1,000.
He concluded: “A £50 note then could go for several thousands of pounds.” The low serial numbers on these banknotes refer to the first few batches where it’s close to “000001”.
These make them highly sought after by collectors and can often fetch significantly higher prices at auction due to their rarity. So always remember – the lower the serial number, the higher the value.
Since the video was shared, it scooped nearly 50 likes and dozens of comments. One said: “Good luck.” If you think you own one of these notes, it’s worth speaking to a professional to have it valued.