People are being encouraged to check their wallets for an “extremely rare” and valuable £5 note that could be worth a staggering £50,000. These special fivers feature a tiny etching of renowned author Jane Austen on the clear plastic part of the note.
The notes were etched in 2016 by artist Graham Short to mark the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death in 2017. The portrait of Austen is located on the transparent section of the note, adjacent to Big Ben.
In a video shared on TikTok, numismatic expert The Coin Collector UK urged people to keep an eye out for these unique notes. “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,” reports Lancs Live.
The serial numbers found on these notes are:
- AM32 885551
- AM32 885552
- AM32 885553
- AM32 885554.
According to The Coin Collector, each note was spent in a different country within the UK – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, he advised that only one remains to be discovered.
He added: “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.”