An old £5 banknote from 1892 is tipped to fetch £26,000 at auction in what experts have called a ‘once-in-a-lifetime chance’ for collectors.
The rare note, printed in Birmingham 133 years ago and signed by then-chief cashier Frank May, is going under the hammer for more than 5,000 times its face value.
Specialists believe it is the only surviving Birmingham-issued fiver of its kind, making it one of the most sought-after pieces of Bank of England history.
Andrew Pattison, head of the banknote department at Noonans, said: ‘The note is being sold by a long-term collector of high-end Bank of England notes, and we believe it is the rarest Birmingham £5 in existence.
‘It is also likely to be the most expensive, as we fully anticipate that it will match or exceed its estimate.
The rare note, printed in Birmingham 133 years ago and signed by then-chief cashier Frank May, is going under the hammer for more than 5,000 times its face value
‘With this being the only known example in private hands, when we say a once in a lifetime chance for collectors, we really mean it.’
The sale takes place on October 15.