A new kind of rare plastic £5 note has been revealed which could be worth far more than its face value.

Some new fivers have been released which carry tiny portraits of author Jane Austen on them – and experts think they could fetch up to £20,000.

The portraits, surrounded by quotes from Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Mansfield Park, are so small they are hard to see with the naked eye.

You should be able to catch a glimpse of them next to the images of Winston Churchill and Big Ben, but you will need a microscope to get a proper look.

The new five pound note
The new five pound note

The only problem is there are just FOUR fivers in circulation with these engravings – which is why they are believed to be so valuable.

Micro engraver Graham Short, from Birmingham, was commissioned to etch a microscopic image on to the new polymer notes – there's no serial number to watch out for – but spot the print and you could be sitting on a small fortune.

Short himself, along with other art experts, have speculated that the notes could be worth as much as £20,000, given the amount people have been prepared to pay for unusual serial numbers on the new fivers.

A Wirral woman advertised her new fiver for almost £1,700 on eBay after noting what she believed to a misprint on the note.

Gail Meikle, 51, from Bromborough Pool, said she hoped to pay for a dream Christmas with the money, ending 2016 on a high after being diagnosed with cancer.

The new plastic £10 note will be released during summer 2017, and will also feature Jane Austen.

Mark Carney, Bank of England governor, previously said: “Jane Austen certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes.

“Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal and she is recognised as one of the greatest writers in English literature.

“As Austen joins Adam Smith, Boulton and Watt, and in future, Churchill, our notes will celebrate a diverse range of individuals who have contributed in a wide range of fields.”