Find out how your new £10 note could be worth thousands of pounds

They are released on Thursday

Published 13th Sep 2017
Last updated 13th Sep 2017

As the brand new £10 note enters circulation on the 14th September, we look at everything you need to know about the new polymer note which features British author Jane Austen.

Who is on the new £10 note?

The new £10 note features British author Jane Austen. The new note was unveiled at an event at Winchester Cathedral earlier this year on the 200th anniversary of her death. Jane Austen is known for her classic novels including, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Emma, many of which are studied in schools.

Jane was born on 16th December 1775 and died on 18th July 1817, 200 years ago. The portrait of the author used on the new notes is from an engraving by William Home Lizars, commissioned in 1870 by her nephew.

The Emma author she lived and wrote most of her novels in Chawton Cottage which inspires the central design of the new note.

How do I get a new £10 note?

On Thursday 14th September, the new £10 notes will be released into circulation, however it might be some time before you see one. If you really want to get your hands on one you might be able to get them from High Street banks and Post Offices.

When is the new £10 note released into circulation?

The new £10 note will be released this coming Thursday, 14th September in England.

Which serial numbers are special for the new £10 note?

Like with any new notes there are special serial numbers which can be worth a lot more than the face value. According to the Change Checker website there are a few different ones that we should keep a look out for, namely JA01, as well as JA75 (Jane Austen’s birth year) and JA17 (the year of Jane Austen’s death).

While these serial numbers are likely to be worth a lot in the future, we will have to wait some time for those numbers to be printed, as production starts with AA and there are 999,000 serial numbers printed: 000001 to 999000, so JA is quite some way off!

It's also believed that collectors will be keeping a look out for other key dates to do with the author, including 16 121775 and 18 071817 which would represent the author’s date of birth and death respectively.

17 751817 also includes her birth and death year combined.

Lastly 28 011813 is the date that Jane Austen’s famous novel Pride and Prejudice was first published.

As to be expected serial numbers that begin with AA will be sought after, especially AA01, AK47 and 007 for James Bond fans.

Will all of the serial numbers be released?

No! Not all of the serial numbers printed will enter into circulation, some are kept back for various reasons. Traditionally the Queen is presented with AA01 000001 and last year the Churchill War Rooms received a new £5 note with serial number AA01 001945, the date that WWII ended.

How much money are the special £10 notes worth?

No doubt once the new note enters circulation they will start to pop up on websites such as eBay, however Change Checker says, while it is likely that some notes will be sold at high values straight after release, it is unlikely they will be worth the same a year later.

It all depends on how much people are prepared to pay for them, last year the lowest £5 note available to the public, AA01000017, was sold for £4,105. A year later and recently a £5 note sold for just £7 on eBay.

What should I do with my old £10 notes?

As with the introduction of the new £5 note you have at least four months before the old paper notes are removed from circulation. Although an exact date for when the old note will be removed from circulation has not been announced, the Bank of England have said we can use it until Spring 2018. However, if you want to exchange the note for a new one you should be able to do this at most High Street banks and Post Offices.

How long can I keep using my old £10 notes?

We have until early next year until the old note is withdrawn however an exact date has not been announced. The Bank of England will give us plenty of notice for when the old note will no longer be legal tender, however if you still find yourself with old notes then you should be able to exchange them at High Street banks after they are removed from circulation.

The £10 note is the second Bank of England note to be made out of polymer. We should also expect a new £20 note in 2020, however there are no plans to replace the paper £50 note.

Here are 17 things you probably didn't know about the new £10 note >>

When the new £5 note entered circulation last year the public quickly found unexpected ways to use the new polymer note, including using it as a straw and a record player!