News stories circulating about the $5 polymer note, released on April 24, 1995, may have you rustling through your spare change to find a cheeky payday from the ‘stuey diver’. But if you do find one, it’s almost certainly not worth the $1,850 some have been priced at.
It all comes down to the small but crucial detail on the Wynyard Coin Centre advertisem*nt for the $5 Fraser Evans note.
“The ‘CFU’ there stands for ‘crisp flat uncirculated’ so this banknote is in the same condition it was when it was released, which means there are no creases or wrinkles in it,” coin expert Matt Thompson told Yahoo Finance.
“That note would’ve been taken directly from a bundle of 100 when it was issued and straight to a collector.”
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Thompson said it was “possible but unlikely” you’d have a note worth this amount.
“If you get one in your wallet, it’s been in circulation,” he said.
But all is not lost, some could still be worth “hundreds of dollars”.
Notes with the serial prefix of “HC 95” with narrow orientation bands, in mint condition, have been priced by Wynyard Coin Centre from $1,625 to $1,850.
The note also features signatures from the Reserve Bank of Australia governor at the time, Bernard Fraser, and then-treasury secretary Ted Evans.
The serial number, visible in the top right corner on the back of the note, displays the year it was first issued by the RBA - 1995.
There is also a sketch of Old Parliament House and the new Parliament House on the back, while a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and a eucalyptus plant adorn the front.
Typically, notes that feature the first or last prefix are quite valuable, as is discontinued currency or currency with errors.
Any banknote with a serial number of 1 through 9 will tend to be worth more than face value. Bills with solid serial numbers, or all the same number across, also tend to go for more money.
Some notes can be particularly valuable with the right serial numbers or if in mint condition, reaching up to $1950 for the rarest notes. The $5 note was recoloured in 1995 due to public complaints that it was too similar in colour to the new $10 note that was released in 1993.
Watermark. Hold the note to light and look for a faint image of a large numeral 5 in the blank space to the right of the portrait and a faint image of three numeral 5s to the left of the portrait. The images are visible from both sides of the note.
Flawless uncirculated banknotes are usually worth more than their circulated counterparts. Well-centred notes also tend to be of greater value, due to their greater desirability among collectors. Damage, or minor flaws, will cause value to drop.
An 1861 $5 Demand Note produced by the American Bank Note Company using a patented steel plate process sold for $38,400, making it one of the most valuable $5 bills ever. The front of the note has an image of statue representing freedom as well as a portrait of Alexander Hamilton.
Which serial numbers are valuable? The best fivers are those from the first batch, with serial numbers starting “AA01”. The rest of the number should be low to guarantee a high price.
Some one dollar notes are very valuable if they have the right serial numbers or if they're in mint condition. The rarest Australian dollar note can sell for up to $7,500. Although Australians use one dollar coins today, 1 dollar notes are still incredibly popular with collectors decades after they were replaced.
The Five Dollar bill also has some interesting hidden items:
Next, much like the Ten Dollar bill, the Five also has "micro text" printed near Lincoln's name. Finally, take a look at the roof of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the Five Dollar bill. Several state names are printed there.
Knowing what your paper money might be worth is all in the serial number. Serial numbers are eight digits long and are unique to each bill. They are paired with other identifying letters and numbers that identify the series year the bill is from and where it was printed.
When tilted, you should see the word “Five” change to “Pounds”. New £5 notes have a see-through window. You should be able to clearly see the Queen on the front and the words “£5 Bank of England” printed twice around the edge. Over the window you should see a gold image of the Elizabeth Tower on the front.
In what is called "fancy serial numbers" by many auction websites and currency estimators, serials with five or more zeros are considered more valuable. The more zeros the better, according to My Currency Collection.
A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year.
There were over 63 million 1963 five dollar red seal legal tender notes printed. Today you can buy a circulated 1963 $5 for around six dollars. Uncirculated 1963 five dollar red seals trade for around $15.
Star notes never have a set value—they're only as valuable as other people say they are. That's why the best way to find out the value of yours is to sell the currency on a site like eBay and let other people decide for you in an open auction.
NoteSnap is a perfect app for banknote collectors. With the help of cutting-edge AI-driven technology, NoteSnap allows you to effortlessly identify and catalog your banknotes within seconds.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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