Hold on to your hats, fellow Britons! The new banknotes featuring King Charles III's portrait have entered circulation as of June 5, 2024. Yes, you heard correctly—you can now wield the visage of the King himself without being knighted or invited to a garden party. For those of you who don’t have a helicopter ready to whisk you off to Buckingham Palace, here’s a guide on how to snag these newly minted treasures.

The release of these banknotes marks a historic moment, according to Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, who seems just as excited as the rest of us to see Charles’ face finally making its monetary debut. Even King Charles III himself described the new banknotes as "very well designed." One can only assume that’s regal code for “they’ll do.”

Now, before you panic and start hoarding your old Queen Elizabeth II notes, take a breath. The new banknotes will co-circulate with those bearing the Queen’s portrait, keeping your nostalgic sentiments—and your legal tender—alive. Both versions will remain valid, so there's no need to start selling your Queen Liz notes on eBay just yet.

The four banknotes featuring King Charles III will be available in denominations of £5, £10, £20, and £50. However, these notes will only be printed to replace worn ones and to meet any overall increase in demand. The Bank of England has cleverly planned this out to minimize environmental impact and manage financial resources effectively—or at least that’s what they say when they don't want to print too many too fast.

For those ardent collectors out there not willing to wait for wear-and-tear to run its course, fear not. From June 5-30, select Post Office branches will offer the new King Charles III banknotes, and there’s also a postal exchange service available. So, whether you’re up for a leisurely stroll to your nearest Post Office or just fancy relying on Royal Mail, options abound.

The design of these new notes will closely resemble their predecessors—with one royal upgrade. The only major difference is the inclusion of King Charles’ portrait in the see-through security window. There are also plans for a series of auctions of low-serial numbered banknotes featuring King Charles III, with proceeds only going to charity. So, if you're feeling flush and philanthropic, you might want to get involved.

To recap, here’s how you can get your hands on one of these freshly-minted beauties:

Lastly, a bit of fun trivia to toss around at your next trivia night: Queen Elizabeth II was the first British sovereign to grace banknotes, starting with the £1 note in 1960. Ah, the humble beginnings of royal currency presence!

These new banknotes firmly place King Charles III into daily British life in a way that sends a clear message: the monarchy is here to stay, and it’s now firmly engrained in your pocket change. So, happy hunting, fellow banknote enthusiasts—you’ve got a new King to collect!