A Pound That’s Worth More Than A Pound

At first glance, this £1 note might look like a slightly unfamiliar piece of British currency.

Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see that it was issued not by the Bank of England but by the States of Guernsey.

Guernsey has a long tradition of issuing its own notes and coins, with its currency maintained at parity with sterling. While Guernsey currency is intended for use within the Bailiwick rather than as legal tender throughout the UK, the familiar dimensions and appearance of the coins in particular mean that examples can sometimes find their way into everyday circulation elsewhere.

That makes Guernsey money an interesting little collecting area in its own right.

Michael tells us that notes and coins in particularly good or near-uncirculated condition will often sell for considerably more than their face value, with older issues tending to become more desirable once they have been replaced.

The note pictured is a States of Guernsey £1 note featuring Daniel De Lisle Brock, Bailiff of Guernsey from 1762 to 1842, alongside an image of the Royal Court in St Peter Port.

And while its printed value may be just £1, this particular example is currently available at Charing Cross Market for £4 — a nice illustration of how even relatively modern currency can become something rather more interesting once it enters the world of collecting.