is my queen elizabeth currency still valid?

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, we have breaking news: Queen Elizabeth has died. The nearly non-stop coverage on most of the news programming we’ve seen has used no small amount of hyperbole to describe how radically different day-to-day life will be in the United Kingdom, but also in all of the other “Commonwealth” nations, where Queen Elizabeth was the reigning head of state. From listening to the urgency of these news reports, you might think that people around the world will be mightily challenged to adapt to the fact that so much will be different. And the number one thing that will disrupt their peaceful, happy lives is that Queen Elizabeth will no longer appear on their currency.

Horrifying to contemplate, isn’t it?

If you’re like us, you might have some currency that you’ve been holding on to, waiting for your next visit to a country where you can spend it. I took a quick look at my own stash of loot, and right there in front of me was a five dollar bill with Queen Elizabeth’s face staring back at me.

That got me thinking — how long until they replace the Queen and put King Charles III (the monarch, not the spaniel) on their money. And will my currency still be legal tender? What about in other countries from Fiji to Canada to New Zealand? It’s bad enough that the poor citizens of those countries are having their entire lives upended! Is the Queen’s passing going to cost me $5 AUD?

This is a picture of the money I’m concerned about.

Fortunately, according to the crack reporting at ABC News, I will be able to sleep at night, knowing that I don’t have to toss this bill in the garbage. According to their reporting, in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will continue to allow currency featuring Queen Elizabeth to circulate as legal tender.

They did not say what would happen in other countries like Fiji or Antigua and Barbuda. Subjects of the late Queen are just going to have to sweat it out, I guess. ABC does not care about them, apparently.

Still, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t trust mainstream media, perhaps it’s time to book a trip to one of the Commonwealth nations to use up those bills and coins. If that’s the case, we’d love to send you there. Just drop us a line!