Update: The latest news on the Bank of England’s Polymer Banknotes
The Polymer banknotes are still catching the headlines this week after a £5 note was found with a mysterious secret message.
Two different people, who thought they had found the rare Jane Austen £5 note worth more than £20,000, have come forward so far.
The message on the banknote stated ‘Look for serial number AL22171910’ instead of a classic quote from Pride and Prejudice, Emma or Mansfield Park.
The message on the banknote states ‘Look for serial number AL22171910’
However, artist Graham Short’s gallery have denied the stunt is anything to do with them.
Four special £5 notes, engraved with a tiny portrait of author Jane Austen, were put into circulation by Mr Graham Short late last year and could fetch more than £20,000 at auction.
So could it be another Willy Wonka style golden ticket hunt?
Both findings have sparked theories of a copycat engraver offering clues to find other valuable notes – but it could just be someone creating a bit of mischief.
Just one fiver worth more than £20K left to find…
There is still one engraved fiver in circulation left to find by specialist micro-engraver Graham Short. Mr Short came up with the idea of engraving a 5mm portrait of Pride and Prejudice author Jane Austen on the transparent part of the new plastic £5 notes, to mark the 200th anniversary of one of the best-loved English novelists this year.
Just one fiver worth more than £20K left to find…
The first of four notes featuring art by specialist micro-engraver Graham Short was found in a cafe in South Wales on 5th December while another was found the same month inside a Christmas card in Scotland. The third £5 note was found by a mystery old lady in Eniskillen in Northern Ireland who has donated it to charity.
So that means there is just one more rare £5 note left to find with the handiwork of Birmingham micro-artist Graham Short. It was spent somewhere in England back in December so for those hunting down the last remaining fiver, the serial number to look out for is AM 32 885554.
In other news… the Bank of England considers the use of Palm Oil
The Bank of England have been considering the use of palm oil as a replacement to animal fat in their polymer banknotes after complaints from vegans and religious groups.
The news that the polymer fiver contained animal fat sparked an online petition last year, calling for the Bank of England to stop using tallow in the production of the notes, which has since attracted more than 136,000 signatures.
However, in February, the Bank of England confirmed that it would stick with animal fat despite the concerns. In a statement, the Bank of England said “it would be appropriate to keep the £5 polymer note in circulation and to issue the £10 polymer note as planned, in September.”
Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil that is derived from the palm fruit. However, switching from the animal fat derivative may prove difficult and is likely to spark protests from environmentalists unless the palm oil can be sustainably sourced.
The Bank of England is now undertaking a consultation to seek the views of the public on options for the future composition of polymer notes, namely the next £20 note and future reprints of the £5 and £10.
Who will feature on the new £20 polymer banknote?
The new £20 polymer banknote is due to enter circulation in 2020 and will feature J.M.W. Turner. Click here to find out more about the £20 note.
The £20 note will be the third banknote made from Polymer, following on from the £5 note featuring Winston Churchill and the £10 note featuring Jane Austen. The £50 note will remain in circulation with the same design and there are currently no plans for them to be issued in polymer.
Poll: What is your favourite £1 Coin Design? – England
As part of the Great One Pound Coin Race, we want to find out Britain’s ultimate favourite £1 coin.
Last week we asked you to vote for your favourite Welsh £1 coin design – it was very close but 35% of Change Checkers voted the 2013 Daffodil and Leek £1 as their favourite.
This week we want to know your favourite English £1 coin design.
Let us know by voting in our poll below:
[polldaddy poll=”9714428″]
More information about the English £1 coin designs
The English Oak Tree £1 was issued in 1995 and 2000
The first reverse design series of £1 coins took floral emblems as its theme to represent the United Kingdom and its four constituent countries. They were designed by Leslie Durbin – one of the most highly-regarded silversmiths of the 20th Century. The Oak Tree is used on this coin to represent England.
The Three Lions £1 coin was issued in 1997 and 2002.
The second series of £1 coin designs used heraldic emblems to represent the United Kingdom and its four constituent countries. This coin features three lions to represent England. The three lions date back to Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199) who used three golden lions on a scarlet background as a powerful symbol of the English throne.
The Millennium Bridge £1 coin was issued in 2007
The third series of £1 coin designs depicts bridges from each of the four consituent countries in the United Kingdom. This coin features the Gateshead Millennium Bridge to represent England. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is a tilt bridge which spans the River Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle. It is the world’s first tilting bridge and has won a large number of awards for its design and lighting.
The London City £1 coin was issued in 2010
The fourth series of £1 coins used the capital cities of the four constituent countries as the basis of the reverse design. Designed by Stuart Devlin, Goldsmith and Jeweller to the Queen, this coin depicts the circular Coat of Arms of the City of London as the principal focus to represent England.
The Rose and Oak branch £1 coin was issued in 2013
The fifth series of £1 coin designs uses pairs of floral emblems designed by Timoty Noad to represent the United Kingdom and its four constituent countries. This coin features an oak branch with an acorn alongside a stem with a tudor-inspired rose to represent England
Next week- Final: What’s your ultimate favourite £1 coin design?
This could be your last chance to secure Britain’s last ’round pound’.
If you want to get your hands on the last ‘round pound’ they are available here protectively encapsulated and certified as superior Brilliant Uncirculated quality.
Which Beatrix Potter 50p Coins are the scarcest?
With Monday’s announcement of four new Beatrix Potter 50p coins leading to as many as 50,000 collectors queuing at The Royal Mint’s website to reserve the coins online, Change Checker can reveal which of last year’s 5 Beatrix Potter circulation 50p coins are currently the most sought after by collectors.
Using data unique collecting and swap data, Change Checker will be publishing its first-ever 50p “Scarcity Index” later this month but ahead of the full publication, we can give you a sneak preview as to which of last year’s Beatrix Potter 50p coins are currently most sought after by collectors.
How rare are the Beatrix Potter 50p coins?
Final mintages are yet to be published but the Change Checker “Scarcity Index” scores each of the UK’s 54 circulation 50p coin designs out of 100 to determine their relative scarcity.
Results suggest that Jemima Puddle-Duck is currently the 6th most difficult coin to find in your change, with Squirrel Nutkin coming in close behind. Peter Rabbit has certainly become easier over the last few months but still sits 20th out 54 issues.
How valuable are my Beatrix Potter 50p coins?
Currently you can still buy base metal collector versions of the Beatrix Potter 50p coins direct from the Royal Mint for £10 and Change Checker Certified Brilliant Uncirculated versions for £3.99, rather than wait to find them in your change. That has meant that their values have been pretty much capped.
But The Royal Mint has confirmed that they are not striking any more 2016 collector editions, which means that when current stocks of the Brilliant Uncirculated version are exhausted, collectors’ only choice will be to search for circulation versions.
So whilst the 2016 Beatrix Potter 50p coins are not likely to follow the example of the ultra-rare Kew Gardens 50p, which achieves prices of between £70 and £100, collectors may see prices rise from around 6 times face value to somewhere between 10 and 12 times face value over the coming months.
But don’t forget, the joy of Change Checking is that you may receive a Beatrix Potter 50p coin in your change at any time for just its face value – 50p.