Rare Banknotes Featuring King Charles III’s Portrait Go for Nearly £1 Million at Charity Auction
A collection of rare banknotes that featured King Charles III earned nearly £1 million at a recent charity auction.
“King Charles III banknote auctions and ballot raised £914,127 for charity! 🎉,” the official Bank of England Instagram account announced on Monday, August 12. “Following the issuance of our new banknotes, @spink_auctions held charity auctions and a ballot for new low serial numbered banknotes. The proceeds will be shared between ten of our current and past charities of the year.”
The Bank of England partnered with Spink Auctions to put up a few limited edition £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes with the monarch’s face up for grabs. Their donation included a selection of sheets as well.
The funds raised will go to several nonprofit organizations including the World Wildlife Fund, the Childhood Trust, the Brain Tumor Charity, Samaritans, Carers and more.
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According to the Tatler, the lowest serial number was on a £10 note, which was “HB01 000002.” The item ended up selling for £17,000. A £50 note with the serial number “000003” sold for £14,000 while a £5 note with the same number sold for £11,000. A sheet of 40 £50 notes earned the biggest sale at the auction for £26,000.
The currency’s serial numbers are what make the pieces so unique. Charles, 75, currently possesses the one with the serial number “000001.”
Charles’ face was added to British currency earlier this year. This is the first time the Bank of England has changed the face of the monarch on bills. Charles’ late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was the first sovereign to appear on the bank notes.
In April, Charles got a first look at the bills before they were sent out for distribution in June. Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, and Sarah John, chief cashier and executive director of banking, presented the notes to the king at Buckingham Palace.
“This is what is so surprising. You would think that it goes back,” Charles said per BBC of making history with the new bills.
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While comparing the new money to the old, Charles was impressed with the overall design including the famous faces on the back of his bill.
“I wondered how it would come out, yes. It’s a very good photograph of Jane Austen, Winston [Churchill],” he said. “They’re very elegant, these ones, I must say.”
In addition to being on U.K. currency, Charles’ portrait has also been added to stamps and passports since he took the throne in 2022.
