How to spot a ‘rare’ £50 note and the serial numbers that could be worth hundreds
A NEW plastic £50 note featuring the infamous WWII code-breaker Alan Turing on it has been launched into circulation today.
But a few of these new notes could be worth far more than their face value - and could be sold for thousands of pounds on eBay.
But other notes with early serial numbers have gone for much higher.
Back in 2017, an AA01 £5 note sold on eBay for over £60,000.
But we haven’t seen any notes sold for as high as this in more recent times.
Consecutive serial numbers
Notes with consecutive serial numbers can also catch a collector's eye, particularly if the numbers are low.
If you can combine an early serial letter with a consecutive number, you could have a valuable note in your hands.
For instance if you get one with AA1234567, you’re likely to be onto a winner.
Special meanings in serial numbers
Collectors will hunt for specific serial numbers which have special meanings to them.
For example, when the Jane Austen £5 notes came out in 2017, there was lots of interest in numbers that were linked to her life.
Error notes
Notes with mistakes on them tend to be among the most valuable and sought after because of their extremely limited numbers.
If you find an error on your new £50, or it doesn’t look like it’s supposed to, then you could have a valuable note in your hands.
Experts valued one Brit’s collection of 30 faulty £5, £10 and £20 notes at £6,000 last year.
The notes contained smudges and even the Queen’s head missing.
Here's what you need to know about the on it, including its release date and who’s on it.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
When does the old £50 pound note expire? We explain.
The number of people paying by cash has fallen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic after several stores encouraged contactless payments instead.