[mauvehaus]

Is there a service that lets me exchange USD for GBP that guarantees I'd get my GBP in cold, hard cash in these? Preferably newer, perhaps uncirculated?

I'm no collector, I just think it's cool that Turing is on a bank note, and I want one.

[tialaramex]

Until 23 June, likely no, since that would be confusing, they aren't actually money until then even though some will be working their way through supply chains as to be available promptly.

After that sure, they're just money, if you want to be certain to obtain one of these, particularly in mint condition you may end up paying a bit more than it's "worth" but you seemingly don't intend to spend it so that shouldn't matter.

I'm not sure if they're a thing in the US, but in many countries there are places which sell stamps, coins and notes to collectors, and here I'd expect to find at least one in a large town or city, people like that would understand what you want here, although their prices would likely be significantly higher than just going to an international airport and asking to buy a £50 note from them once they have the new kind.

A brief aside about why people won't have the old ones for long. Unlike the US, the UK actually replaces notes. Pre-Turing notes given to banks will gradually be destroyed and then in not so long the government will declare that they are no longer to be used. They don't become worthless, but shops won't take them, and then high street banks won't take them, until eventually the only place that will is the Bank of England in Threadneedle Street, they will always honour the old note, since it says it is worth Fifty Pounds and they issued it, but of course all you get is a newer Fifty Pound note that still works, a fun ritual to do once maybe if you don't live too far away.

This means ordinary British people needn't have the expertise to authenticate genuine 100 year old money, none of it is valid any more - while if you find some down the back of your couch, it isn't worthless, it's just maybe not very convenient to go to Threadneedle Street if you found an archaic banknote that's now worth less than it'd cost to get there.

Also of course eventually (many years from now) the old notes will be worth more than £50 to collectors because they become rare, even though at Threadneedle Street you can only ever get £50 for them.

[gadders]

I was wondering if there was a business to be made buying these and framing them to sell to computer people in other countries :-)

[wrboyce]

If you’re really struggling and would like a mint note, I’m UK based and happy to assist in getting one over to you.

[raverbashing]

Go to a money exchange place (preferably somewhere that doesn't have too many UK tourists) and ask nicely if they have it and ask to buy one.

The caveat is because places with lots of tourists will have their "pocket change" (old notes)

[foldr]

The older notes don't remain legal tender for long in the UK, so you won't have to wait long before the currency exchanges have the new notes.

[alberth]

Is it correct to assume you do not live in the UK?

As for a (web) service, I'm not aware of any.

International airports and many major banks have currency exchanges. The exchanges take a healthy cut, where your personal bank most likely will not.

[teekert]

Ha! I was thinking the same thing! Would be cool to have, one of my heroes!

[Laakeri]

I think you could anyway get it from eBay with quite small overhead.