A polymer £5 that looks like any other, except for one subtle tell: the serial starts with “AA01”. Collectors love those first-off-the-press runs, and some pay handsomely for crisp examples. We’re talking headline-grabbing sales up to £200 when the number is right. The trick is knowing what you’ve got before you hand it over with your morning coffee.
The first time I noticed one, it was tucked between a bus ticket and a half-punched loyalty card. The note felt oddly stiff, that fresh-polymer snap you get from an ATM on pay day. I went to pass it over at a corner shop, then caught the faint blue digits in the corner: AA01. The woman at the till clocked it too, gave a half-smile, and said, “Might hold onto that, love.”
I folded it back into my wallet and walked out feeling like I’d found a lottery ticket no one else had spotted. On the pavement, the city felt the same, but the fiver in my pocket didn’t. One small code had changed its weight. I stopped at a bus stop and checked again, heartbeat just a notch faster. A tiny thrill for a tiny piece of plastic. I didn’t spend it.
Why ‘AA01’ on a £5 note turns heads
AA01 isn’t magic, but it is the very start of the run. When the Bank of England launched the polymer £5 in 2016, the earliest notes left the presses with that prefix, followed by eight digits. Collectors chase first-issue items because they mark the beginning of a new chapter, and they’re scarcer in top condition. That’s the simple reason an ordinary fiver can stop someone mid-spend. The story — first, few, fresh — is baked into those four characters. It’s a small code with big psychology.
There were plenty of sale screenshots doing the rounds in those launch weeks: AA01 notes snapped up on eBay, some with quirky number patterns that drew the eye. Low serials like 000123, ladders such as 123456, or cheeky novelty combos got people bidding. Prices danced around wildly as hype met supply, with credible sold listings landing between £30 and £200 depending on condition and number. A plain AA01 with creases might fetch a modest premium; a crisp, low number is a different story entirely. The chase became a dinner-table conversation.
Why does the market still care years on? Scarcity and condition. As notes circulate, they pick up folds, pocket fluff, and the occasional dash through the washing machine. That knocks value. The minty ones vanish into collections, tightening supply for the next buyer. Demand ebbs and flows with media buzz and payday confidence. Yet the logic endures: early prefix, clean sheet, eye-catching digits, and a dose of cultural memory from that 2016 launch. The result is a small but resilient premium that can spike when the right serial appears.
How to check your £5 — and what to do next
Start with the serial itself. On a polymer £5, it’s printed twice in dark blue, two letters then eight numbers. You’re hunting “AA01”, and ideally a tidy set of digits that jump out, like 000777 or a palindrome. Hold the note under a bright lamp and tilt it; smudges and hairline creases show up fast. If it looks pristine, treat it like a trading card. Slip it into a clean sleeve, or sandwich it between two bits of smooth card to stop bends. A sandwich bag in your wallet is better than a sweaty pocket.
Let’s be honest: nobody does this every day. You spot a good serial, you get excited, and you want to show friends. That’s when damage happens. Avoid folding, rolling, or “flattening” with a hot iron. Do not wipe it with anything. Photograph it in soft light, front and back, and check recent SOLD prices on eBay, not the shouty listings. A brisk local sale to a trusted dealer can be quicker than an auction, but shop around. On a strong day, an AA01 with clean edges and a neat serial will find a buyer faster than you think.
One collector told me the market is “half numbers, half nerves.” If you can keep calm and present the note well, you’ve already done the hard bit. And if you’re sitting on a genuinely low serial, pause before you rush to sell — the right buyer might be a week away.
“People get starry-eyed about AA01,” says Mark, a Leeds-based note collector. “The trick is to pair the prefix with a serial that tells a story, and a condition that looks fresh from the ATM.”
- Best targets: AA01 with low numbers (000001–000999), ladders (123456), repeaters (34343434), palindromes (01233210).
- Condition grades: Uncirculated > About Uncirculated > Extremely Fine. Each step down can halve interest.
- Where to sell: eBay sold listings for benchmarks, specialist Facebook groups, respected dealers, or auction houses for standout pieces.
- Red flags: Cleaning, pressing, or “restoration” kills value. So do tears, ink, and deep folds.
The bigger picture: small notes, big stories
We’ve all had that moment when a forgettable object becomes a tiny treasure. A coin with a misprint. A book with a signature. A fiver with a first-run code. The AA01 hunt taps that shared impulse to spot the special in the everyday, and it’s why people still check their change. It’s also a lesson in patience and presentation. The market rewards calm hands, crisp corners, and a good eye for pattern. Think of it less as a lottery, more as a quiet game you can play every time you open your wallet. Your next coffee could be paid by the fiver you don’t spend today.
| Key Point | Detail | Interest for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| AA01 matters | First-run £5 notes with “AA01” attract collectors, especially in top condition. | Turns a routine fiver into a potential mini windfall. |
| Numbers and condition | Low or striking serial patterns and uncirculated state push prices higher. | Gives a clear checklist to assess value at a glance. |
| Smart selling | Check sold prices, present well, and consider specialist buyers for standout notes. | Improves your chance of a fast, fair sale up to £200 in strong cases. |
FAQ :
- Where exactly do I find the serial on a £5 note?Look for the two-letter, eight-digit code printed twice in dark blue. It sits near the top left and bottom right on the Churchill side.
- Are all AA01 notes worth £200?No. Many sell for £20–£60, while only the crispiest or best-numbered examples push toward £200.
- Which serial numbers are most desirable?Very low numbers (under 001000), neat sequences (123456), repeaters (11221122), palindromes, and novelty runs like 000777.
- How do I keep my note in top shape?Handle by the edges, avoid folding, store flat in a clean sleeve, and keep it dry and shaded.
- Where should I sell an AA01 note?Check eBay sold listings for a price guide, then try respected dealers, specialist groups, or an auction house for standout pieces.
