Small Size Currency: Low Prices for FRNs, USNs, SCs

With the exception of Gold Certificates, would it be correct to state that unless you have a bill that is in the mid-60's you're not going to be worth much more than face value (at least for $1's and $5's; maybe larger denominations are rarer and separate from FV) ?

Had to go over hundreds of bills for some estate work I was hired to look at. I used the 34th Standard Catalog (2015) as an approximate reference guide rather than use HA or GC for more recent/current pricing (none of the bills was really worth looking up )....you're looking at FV or $3 for FINE or EXTRA FINE condition and might be $5-$10 for CHOICE CU (63).

Need to see a grade/condition of 65 or more to get any decent premium for $1 or $5 common bills even dating to the 1930's.

I've also found that if a $1 or $5 bill is worth 2x or 3x FV, dealers or LCSs still might not have interest because they can't turn them around so quickly with buyers. The bills are just so common....unless in the mid-to-high 60's, no interest....a nice graded bill in a holder like the kind we buy, yes, that they can find a buyer for (nice markup, too ).

 

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I've been working on my small-sized $1 set for less than a year but I've noticed the same thing. The silver certificates from series 1935-A (non-WWII) through to the end at 1957-C are barely worth anything over face value in avg. circulated condition (excepting star notes). For most of those, I've tried to collect them in UNC and TPG-graded but at that level, the cost is generally double the collector value -- basically paying for the cost of the grading on top of the note value. But this low value is definitely offset by the prices for the 1928, 1934, and 1935 WWII issues.

I liken the $1's to collecting wheat cents. 95% are worth only a few cents above face value in bulk but you still need them to complete the set. But the 09-SVDB and 14-D will cost more than the rest of the set combined.

 

I'm actually debating submitting the Top 20-25 bills or so that I have to PMG and seeing what kind of grades I get.

For the most part, the bills LOOK to be worthy of a Gem CU grade of 65 or higher....corners look sharp/razor-sharp....bills are well-centered (at least at first glance plus a few seconds)...paper looks fresh, no waves/folds/creases (for the most part).

Having bought some of these in 65-68 grade I know they are then worth some $$$ plus the value of the holder....so I am thinking it might pay and be instructive to submit. At least I am unlikely to lose my shirt on the grading fees.

I would give each bill a thorough review and try and grade them before submitting, if I go that route. Would be very interested in seeing how I do overall, though I think without a UV light I might be at a disadvantage seeing any "hidden" waves/folds/creases that those lights show up (I have a white light Green Bankers light).

What am I looking at if I submit...figure I have 20-25 bills worth grading....I might submit 1 or 2 of the "junkier" bills just to see what they get.

 

Eyeball-grading the Unc's is a skill I just have not been able to pick up. Up to AU, I can guess the grade fairly easily. But the minute differences in the 60's elude me. I can compare a 64 EPQ and a 65 EPQ and not be able to see any difference. (I had the same problem trying to distinguish MS-63 and MS-65 coins from each other).