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The British banknote set to sell for up to £12,000!
Tomorrow on 28th October a Victorian £5 Banknote is set to sell at auction catalogued at up to £12,000! Now you might be wondering how an old piece of paper could be worth such an extortionate price. Well, even though it is over 150 years old, the banknote is in pristine condition – almost as if it has come straight from the Victorian Cashier who issued it himself!
The £5 Banknote, dated for the 28th December 1863 is a representation of the height of the industrial period and the advances made in Victorian Britain. In fact the design and printing technology was so advanced that the exact design was used up until 1956! You see, British Banknotes have an incredible history that is often overlooked in the collecting world…
The First UK Banknote
In 1694 King William III was at war with France, and as is often the case with warfare, the financial state of the nation was put under pressure. And so the Bank of England was established. One of its main jobs was to issue banknotes in return for deposits of gold or silver. It’s thought that the first banknote ever issued was one for £1000! But seeing as most people’s wages were less than £20 a year in those days, most people never saw a banknote.
Each banknote was handwritten on bank paper addressed to the payee, and signed by a cashier to authenticate it –sort of like a modern day cheque. This is a tradition that continues today as each banknote is issued with the Chief Cashier’s signature.
“I promise to pay the barer on demand the sum of five pounds”
Before 1853 banknotes were completely handwritten, but the innovation of the Victorian period meant that templates for banknotes could be printed. Therefore cashiers no longer had to sign each note individually. The words “I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of Five pounds” were introduced to link the notes to a physical gold value. In theory, anyone could go to the bank and ask them to give them £5 worth of gold in exchange for a £5 banknote, although the meaning has changed today, the tradition remains on the banknotes.
Emergency Wartime issues
During the First World War, gold was preserved by the government and gold coins in circulation had to be withdrawn. To replace these coins, the Bank of England needed to make a large supply of £1 and 10/- notes available, but the haste at which these were produced meant that there were huge security problems. The notes were too small for cashiers to handle and they had very few anti-counterfeiting measures, but the notes themselves played a vital role in keeping the economy going.
The Second World War Nazi threat
During World War Two, the British government found out about a Nazi plot to introduced thousands of fake banknotes to destabilise British currency. However the Bank of England took emergency action and changed the colour of some of the notes for the duration of the war. The Nazi’s could not match the high levels of security features on the British banknotes and their plans failed.
Polymer banknotes
Today historic banknotes are harder and harder to get hold of, especially the ones in good condition, and those that are will often sell for thousands of pounds. Few have seen the earlier banknotes, and a small number of us remember using pre-decimal or war time banknotes in our childhoods. This is largely because the paper design which made them more susceptible to damage, so many have been lost over time. The new polymer banknotes first issued in 2016 marked a monumental change in numismatic history, bringing new technology and innovation to our pockets.
If you’re interested
Today you have the chance to own a limited edition pair of Emergency Wartime Banknote reproductions, each struck from 5g of FINE SILVER.
The Emergency Banknotes each carry a fascinating story, and your Silver versions come complete in a presentation folder telling the full story of how these banknotes helped Britain win the war.
JUST 100 of these special FINE SILVER banknotes pairs are available, so click here to order yours now, before it’s too late >>
Catch up on our WWII Collectibles Ideal World TV Show
Did you miss our LIVE WWII Collectibles show on Ideal World TV? If so, don’t worry, you can catch up here!
The show is packed full of incredibly special WWII-themed commemoratives, with some exciting and VERY limited exclusive offers which you’re sure to love.
And even better, all of the collectibles on the show include FREE P&P! So perhaps now is the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas gifts for loved ones?
PLEASE NOTE: You are watching a pre-recorded live show, so not all items may be available at the time of ordering. Not only this, but our Ideal World phone lines are now closed, so please click here to order any of the EXCLUSIVE items on the show >>
If you’re interested…
Introducing the brand new Star Trek stamps! Boldly collect where no UK collector has collected before!
With the arrival of a new season of Star Trek: Discovery this month, and the brand new series Picard which launched earlier this year, there’s a lot for Star Trek fans to celebrate this year.
And now – in what you might say is the final frontier of stamp collecting – fans can get their hands on a brand new official Royal Mail stamp release comprising of some of the franchise’s most famous faces.
The stamps are officially released on November 13th, 2020, but you can shop our full range here and pre-order yours whilst stocks last. There are strict edition limits across our product range, so be quick if you’d like to secure yours.
Born from the mind of Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek franchise began 54 years ago and has amassed a huge, global fanbase. It is a cultural phenomenon that’s influence spans across many generations of devoted fans, creating a global community unlike any other.
Often praised for its impact on storytelling and its influence on modern-day technology, fans and scholars alike consider Star Trek to be highly progressive in its approach to social and political issues, offering the viewer a reflective view on historic and current affairs.
This culturally significant franchise has now been celebrated for the very first time on UK stamps.
“For more than 50 years Star Trek has enthralled and inspired generations of loyal fans with extraordinary adventures and an optimistic vision of humanity’s future.
We celebrate the Star Trek Universe with stylish new stamps of its iconic characters.”
Philip Parker, Royal Mail
There are several ways to own these new issue stamps, with each stamp presentation framed and ready to display, and will be officially postmarked by Royal Mail on the day of the stamps release.
Here’s your guide to each of the products available and how you can be one of the limited number of collectors to own one of these limited edition pieces…
The Star Trek Collectors Frame
The Star Trek Collectors Frame features Royal Mail’s Collector Sheet, and only 1,995 framed editions are available worldwide.
These stamps bring together captains from six Star Trek TV series, including Captains Kirk, Picard, and Archer. Each of the stamps featured is accompanied by an Officially Licenced Philatelic Label featuring scenes from the corresponding series.
Your Collector Sheet is A4 in size and is set against a dramatic space scene – perfect for displaying in your home!
Click here to pre-order one of the 1,995 Star Trek Collectors Frames now >>>
The Star Trek Definitive Frame
Collect every Royal Mail Star Trek Stamp issue with The Star Trek Definitive Frame! This framed presentation features 12 Star Trek First Class Stamps , alongside the Movie Stamp Miniature Sheet.
These 12 brand new stamps feature every captain, alongside other famous crew members from across the six principal TV series. Each character is set against a themed backdrop inspired by the series they are from.
As well as these new issue stamps, The Star Trek Definitive Frame also includes the Movie Stamp Miniature Sheet, which showcases British stars from the Star Trek movie series.
Your frame is A4 in size and ready to display. But with only 995 available worldwide, you’ll have to be quick to snap this up for your collection.
Click here to pre-order one of the 995 Star Trek Definitive Frames now >>>
The Star Trek Ultimate Frame
While this is the first time Star Trek has featured on any UK stamp issue, it’s not the first time the franchise has been celebrated on commemorative stamps! To honour the 50th anniversary in 2016, a range of Star Trek stamps was issued in the United States.
As of last year, the stamps are no longer available to buy from the US Postal Service, but you can find a selection of these stamps within The Star Trek Ultimate Frame.
This really is the ultimate Star Trek stamp presentation, featuring every UK stamp issue alongside the no longer available US Star Trek Forever stamps.
Available in an A4 frame, there are only 295 of this very special stamp presentation available worldwide.
Click here to pre-order one of the 295 Star Trek Ultimate Frames now >>>
Remember, all framed editions of the Star Trek stamps are strictly limited. Shop the full range here to pre-order and secure yours ahead of their official release on November 13th.