QUEEN Elizabeth II's death shocked the world but also raised questions about what happens to notes and coins with her face on.
Coins featuring King Charles III first started appearing in people's change back in December 2022.
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On the new 50p coin featuringKing Charles III,the Monarch is not wearing a crown.
However, the switch from currency featuring the lateQueen Elizabeth IIwill be gradual.
Banknotes featuring the King only started being distributed on Wednesday, June 5.
This is the first time themonarchfeatured on banknotes has been changed.
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The new notes will only be issued to replace worn-out currency or to meet any increase in demand.
So, with more than 4.6billionnotesin circulation, worth some £82billion, it could be some time before one lands in your wallet.
You might be wondering whether you can still use notes and coins featuring the former monarch's face.
Below, we explain everything you need to know.
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Can I still use coins and notes with Queen Elizabeth's face on?
The simple answer is yes.
The current circulating designs with the Queen's face on will be discontinued over time
But it won't happen straight away, and any coins or notes you have with the Queen's face on now will still be legal tender for a while.
They'll be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn.
When the Queen first came to power, coins bearing her father's image stayed in circulation for nearly 20 years after his death.
So the likelihood is you've got plenty of time until you have to think about using up notes or coins with the former monarch's face on.
Plus, it is common practice that coins featuring effigies of different monarchs co-circulate.
There are around 27billion coins currently circulating in the UK with the Queen's face on.
However, if you're keen to get your hands on the newest notes now featuring King Charles III, you'll need to head to some specific locations.
The new banknotes are being circulated from severalPost Officebranches.
The chosen branches, which will have £5, £10 and £20 notes, are:
- Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester
- Fawcett Street, Sunderland
- Slindon Street, Portsmouth
- Pinfold Street, Birmingham
- London Wall, City of London
- Broadway, London
- Station Rd, Great Massingham
- Market Place, Tetbury
- High Street, Minchinhampton
- Peascod Street, Windsor
- White Kennett Street, London
- Park Street, Woodstock
- The Buttermarket, Poundbury
Thousands more Post Office branches will receive the new-look currency over the coming days and weeks.
What are the most rare and valuable coins?
- Five rarest coins - do you have one?
- The 13 most valuable £2 coins in circulation
- How valuable are the rarest £1 coins?
- Most rare and valuable 50p coins in circulation
- Rare and most valuable 20p coins that could be worth up to £750
- Rarest 10p coins in circulation
- Rare 2p coins revealed
- How to check if you have a rare and valuable banknote
How to spot rare coins and banknotes
Rare coins and notes hiding down the back of your sofa could sell for hundreds of pounds.
If you are lucky enough to find arare £10 noteyou might be able to sell it for multiple times its face value.
You can spot rare notes by keeping an eye out for the serial numbers.
These numbers can be found on the side with the Monarch's face, just under the value £10 in the corner of the note.
Also if you have a serial number on your note that is quite quirky you could cash in thousands.
For example, one seller bagged £3,600 after spotting a specific serial number relating to the yearJane Austenwas born on one of their notes.
You can check if your notes are worth anything on eBay, just tick "completed and sold items" and filter by the highest value.
It will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay for some notes.
But do bear in mind that yours is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
This isalso thecase for coins, you can determine how rare your coin is by looking a the latest scarcity index.
The next step is to take a look at what has been recently sold on eBay.
Experts from Change Checker recommend looking at "sold listings" to be sure that the coin has sold for the specified amount rather than just been listed.
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People can list things for any price they like, but it doesn't mean it will sell for that amount.
We explain furtherhow you can find out if you have arare coin worth thousands sittingaround the house.
Is Your 50p Worth More Than You Think
