Britons are being encouraged to check their wallets for rare £5 notes that may hold significant value. In 2016, artist Graham Short crafted 10 special £5 notes, each carrying a minute portrait and an insurance assessment of £50,000.
The initial batch included four notes featuring a portrait of Jane Austen. Three of these notes were located after their release in 2017 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the author’s passing, with one donated to the Jane Austen House Museum. The last missing note, bearing the serial number AM32 885554, was last used in Melton Mowbray and remains unclaimed.
In a more recent endeavor, six notes showcasing Harry Kane were introduced into circulation and could potentially be valued at over £20,000. Mr. Short was inspired to create this Kane collection following England’s commendable World Cup performance, where the striker secured the Golden Boot as England advanced to the semi-finals.
“I’ve created six notes – one for each of his goals – for Harry himself, the FA, and four to circulate as we did with the Jane Austen notes across the UK and Ireland,” Short explained.
While one note was presented to Harry Kane and another to the Football Association, the remaining four were spent in various locations like Meriden, Edinburgh, and Merthyr Tydfil, with the fifth intended for Northern Ireland. As of now, none of the Harry Kane fivers have been discovered.
These rare notes could command prices up to £20,000, with enthusiasts willing to pay amounts akin to a house deposit for these sought-after collectibles.
Meanwhile, collectors are scouring the internet for £5 notes with specific serial numbers, hoping to boost their worth. This trend has led to a surge in £5 notes being traded on online platforms like eBay. Particularly desirable are notes with the ‘AA01’ prefix, denoting their origin from the inaugural batch produced.
However, another set of £5 notes causing a buzz online are those with the ‘AK47’ serial number, fetching prices as high as £160,000, although most sell for around £100.