Controversial subject here at Coin Talk. Some members say keep all small portrait notes regardless of condition. Personally, I would spend them.
me personally, for 10 bucks i would put them away and some day in the hopefully not so near future my son would inherit them and either have 10 bucks to spend or pass them on to his kids (if he has any)..
I like the small heads, but unless it is a red seal or a blue seal, the note would have to be either: 1. fantastic condition, crisp 2. starred 3. exceptional serial number. They are spenders. In this case it doesn't cost so much to save $10, as it does to save a $100 small head which is only worth face value. The price on your notes will go up. But I am thinking $6 apiece after 20 years.
These bills are savers. I recall that a small face five would be found once on average of every 1,000 $5 bills that were sorted through at a local casino by me and that was two years ago! On top of that, they were usually from Series 1995. $10 will not break the bank for most people in the U.S. To that end, I say save them and put them away. Future generations will one day be thankful that you did.
For me 1+2 are essential, 3 is an added bonus. I do however look the run up and if it's a low run I'll keep if it's ChAU or one fold without the design/inking being broken.
