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| Your new five pound note could be worth 'up to £50,000' | Your new five pound note could be worth 'up to £50,000' |
| (25 days later) | |
| People are being urged to check their wallets to see if they have one of four £5 notes with a microscopic engraving of Jane Austen. | People are being urged to check their wallets to see if they have one of four £5 notes with a microscopic engraving of Jane Austen. |
| Artist and micro-engraver Graham Short has drawn miniature portraits of the 18th-century author on the new polymer notes and put them into circulation over the weekend. | Artist and micro-engraver Graham Short has drawn miniature portraits of the 18th-century author on the new polymer notes and put them into circulation over the weekend. |
| He also engraved quotes from Austen’s novels onto the notes – which could be worth up to £50,000. | He also engraved quotes from Austen’s novels onto the notes – which could be worth up to £50,000. |
| The engravings, which are next to Big Ben on the holographic foil, are invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen in certain lights. | The engravings, which are next to Big Ben on the holographic foil, are invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen in certain lights. |
| Mr Short spent two weeks working on each note and then “casually” put each note into circulation. | Mr Short spent two weeks working on each note and then “casually” put each note into circulation. |
| He said he only works between midnight and 5am to reduce the traffic noise from outside and binds his right arm to a chair to stop unnecessary body movement. | He said he only works between midnight and 5am to reduce the traffic noise from outside and binds his right arm to a chair to stop unnecessary body movement. |
| The 70-year-old, who is famous for engraving the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a pin, told the Telegraph: "I'm always looking to do something different. | The 70-year-old, who is famous for engraving the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a pin, told the Telegraph: "I'm always looking to do something different. |
| "When I saw the new £5 note, I thought, 'Wouldn't it be good if I could engrave something on it.' | |
| "I didn't know what at first, but then I found out that next year is going to be the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death and her image is also going to be on the new £10 note, which is coming out next year, so it ties in quite nicely with that.” | "I didn't know what at first, but then I found out that next year is going to be the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death and her image is also going to be on the new £10 note, which is coming out next year, so it ties in quite nicely with that.” |
| He said he was not sure what they were worth but a similar work was insured for £50,000. | He said he was not sure what they were worth but a similar work was insured for £50,000. |
| His previous work, a picture of the Queen’s head on a speck of gold the size of the eye of a needle, recently sold for £100,000. | His previous work, a picture of the Queen’s head on a speck of gold the size of the eye of a needle, recently sold for £100,000. |
| But Mr Short's latest project could get him into trouble with the law as it is technically an offence to deface a banknote. | But Mr Short's latest project could get him into trouble with the law as it is technically an offence to deface a banknote. |
| Under the Currency & Banknotes Act 1928, it is illegal to print, write or impress words, letters or symbols onto notes issued by the Bank of England. | Under the Currency & Banknotes Act 1928, it is illegal to print, write or impress words, letters or symbols onto notes issued by the Bank of England. |
| In 1994 two members of the electronica band The KLF burnt £1m and nailed another million in £50 to a wall. They were allowed to burn the notes – as destroying currency is legal – but were fined £9,000 for defacing the money on the wall, the Daily Mail reported. | In 1994 two members of the electronica band The KLF burnt £1m and nailed another million in £50 to a wall. They were allowed to burn the notes – as destroying currency is legal – but were fined £9,000 for defacing the money on the wall, the Daily Mail reported. |