King Charles banknotes sell at auction for more than 11 times face value

UK

A collection of some of the earliest King Charles III banknotes have been sold at auction for more than £900,000.

Over four separate auctions at Spink & Son, lots containing some of the earliest King Charles £5, £10, £20 and £50 banknotes went up for auction, raising £914,127 in total.

The notes had a face value of around £78,000, meaning they raised more than 11 times of their monetary worth.

They were among the earliest notes featuring the King’s face that were released with low serial numbers and went into circulation in June.

It’s these serial numbers that collectors look for, trying to get as close to 00001 as they can find.

The proceeds of the auctions were split between ten separate charities, with each receiving £91,400.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

When a £50 sheet sold for £26,000 it broke the record for the highest lot sold in a Bank of England auction.

A single £10 note sold for £17,000 with the serial number HBO1 00002.

Although the Bank of England started to produce banknotes in the 17th century, the King’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was the first British sovereign to be given the honour in 1960 on a £1 paper note.

Read more from Sky News:
Strictly announces final three contestants
Banksy strikes again
Fall in Heathrow passengers blamed on travel permit

The ten charities benefitting are:

  • The Childhood Trust
  • The Trussell Trust
  • Shout
  • Carers UK
  • Demelza
  • WWF UK
  • The Brain Tumour Charity
  • London’s Air Ambulance Charity
  • Child Bereavement UK
  • Samaritans

Sarah John, chief cashier and executive director of banking at the Bank of England, said: “I am thrilled that the auctions and public ballot of low numbered King Charles III banknotes have raised a remarkable £914,127 that will be donated to ten charities chosen by Bank of England staff.”

She added: “Each charity does incredible work and the monies raised will have a positive impact on people across the UK.”

Articles You May Like

Data centers powering artificial intelligence could use more electricity than entire cities
Drones spotted again over three US air bases in UK
Microsoft is finally testing its Recall photographic memory search feature. It’s not perfect
Georgia is a nation in turmoil where two worlds are being played out in the capital
World’s oldest man, who was born in Liverpool, has died