Hello everyone! This is my 700th post, and, as always, glad to be a part of the community. I also wanted to share some notes I wanted to ask about: Here is a $5 I received yesterday. (Top note is for comparison). Is there a way to flatten it out? I tried to press it in a book, but, there are some deep creases still on the note. Would ironing the note between two sheets of paper be effective? Any suggestions are appreciated.
To save the note, as the only example I have of that year so far. (I have an album series 1969-present of $5s $10s and $20s.)
Got it, so if your going to use the iron method to flatten it out always use a hard surface on the bottom with some material on top to protect the note against scortching, if it gets to hot you will have a brown looking mess on your Hands.
I've been there and done that with the ironing thing. It will make your notes flatten out but I've found it can do more harm than good by browning them up more often than not (even with the application of steam/water). It will also flatten away a note's natural attributes in terms of texture and embossing. With that said, the notes in the above picture would be good to practice on and see what I am referring to. I'd recommend the book method if anything. Take out an extra heavy encyclopedia or some such book, put the notes in there and then forget about them for the next month or two.
I’ve asked the same question to a professional paper restorer and the answer involved a Humidity Chamber and varying amounts of pressure.
Wet the bill, stretch it out on a piece of glass (sandwhich) with another piece of glass and let dry. Due to inperfections of glass you may have to do this a couple of times (rotating direction each time)... don't use an iron "risky"... use as last resort.
