A nation of numismatists

Chris Carter looks at how the recent frenzy in stories telling us to check our change is turning us into a nation of coin collectors.

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Your fiver could be worth more than you think

Like millions of others, you may have been checking every new five-pound note you get for one that's worth considerably more than its face value. In October after the release of the new polymer banknotes, the Bank of England sold the note with the lowest serial number available to the public AA01 000017 for £4,150 at a charity auction. Since then, the papers have been full of stories of "special" fivers going for tens or even hundreds of pounds online. Apart from those with low serial numbers, one note that bore the number "AK47" apparently sold for £8,100 on eBay.

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.