Rick, I think you have to do what you think is best. Our opinions do not have the same perspective yours will. If you don't need the money and have everything cataloged I personally would hold it. It could always go to Heritage at a later date and time. That's just my opinion.
My opinion wouldn't help, but I do understand this is an important decision for you. May I wish you the best in whatever you decide. We, as collectors, are only temporary custodians of our nations exquisite paper currency and it's heritage.
Thanks Steve, I have said close to that very statemet several times. I appreciate the comments that were made. RickieB
I have to agree with you on that comment as well Steve. RickieB, good luck with whatever you choose. I just have to say that I wish my collection was as fine as yours.
It is not an easy decision, and one that can be regretted later if it is not what you really want to do. Several years ago I had a fairly significant collection of Scottish and Irish banknotes - at one point I sold the whole Irish collection which included some early 20 century notes that are now difficult to obtain. I also sold several Scottish horseblanket notes(large sized large denomination like 20 Pounds etc from the early 20th century. I don't regret letting the more modern stuff. But some of the early notes were classics, large sized hand signed notes that fetch serious dosh on the London auctions. There are some like the National Bank of Scotland 20 Pound from 1945 that I really really miss. It was a note that embodied much of the late 1880's printing technology with multiple colour printing passes that ranged from yellow, orange and red tints - really an expensive proposition in printing and one that fell out of favour with American Banknote Co early in the 20th century because of cost. My best advise would be to triage it, spend some time thinking about what you want to do - if you decide to let some onto the market give some passionate collectors the first shot and save all the auction etc fees. Determine which notes you might want to hold onto a little longer in the prospect of better times, and those that you can let and replace later on if you want to.
SM: Yes I have considered these attributes as well. Many here know why this may happen as I continue to battle my health position. Indeed there are significant notes, some of them are the only recorded Small Size notes known. All of them are 64 and above. It was hard enough to let the Large Size Collection go, what a painful trip that was. The error collection is still intact and growing as my interest it still full bore in these notes. The offsets are a focal point as well as several other error types. RickieB
As we both know there are far more important things in life that do take precedence over collecting stuff. I am slowly accepting that quite a bit of my sundry accumulations of numismatic wonders will scatter to the auction venues winds starting in about three years as I will have to fund college/university educations for the spawns. At least a new, well a long dormant, hobby in model railroading - much cheaper is taking more of my time but not nearly as much money.
Health trumps collecting, regardless of what you collect. The old cliche applies; "You can't take it with you"
