How many years do you think it will take for the first issues of the new (blue ribbon) design of the $100 UNC notes to be worth more than face value? I have 5 UNC sequential $100 notes from day 1 that the new blue ribbon $100 note design were released to the public (10/8/2013). They are not first run notes b/c the first run notes were poorly made and had to be destroyed and re-issued later as star notes. But I've kept these in sleeves for the past almost 6 years. (It's the 2009A design and they are now still making the 2013 design I believe). My question is, should I expect them to be worth more than face value any time in the next 20 years or so? And if so, how much more than FV and in how long? Ditto the question for $100 UNC notes from the old 2006A design (before they changed to the blue ribbon). I have 5 UNC sequential notes from the last year of issue of those old style $100 notes and have the same questions on them. One thing I'm considering is that with the average lifespan of an FRN being 15 years, and the fact that these are high FV notes, is it true that not many people will be holding onto $100 notes the same as they would the new $5, $10, $20 or even $50 notes? I'm also considering that now with credit card "points" being so popular, together with credit and debit card use, not to mention "crypto currencies" which seem to be the new anonymous "cash" of choice for the new tech savvy generation, is it safe to say that the use of current FRN may possibly be dropping and with it the amount that is saved in UNC form, especially high FV notes? I would appreciate the input of those with knowledge on these issues. Many Thanks.
I think you need to post photos to get better answers. Otherwise, these two can be more help than I can: @mpcusa @SteveInTampa
$100 notes last a VERY long time. (15 years on average because they don’t really circulate). Whenever someone spends [a $100], it usually gets put under the cash drawer, stored in a store safe, or kept in bank vaults. They don’t get around as much as $1s, $5s and $20s. With that in mind, it will take decades for the new blue colour hundreds to accrue any value over face. They are still being issued. Try collecting small head $100s (1993 or before)- those become less and less common every day. I also don’t think that people hold onto bills because they are new- if someone has a “rainy day” stash, it will contain whatever bills are available (at stores/banks/ATMs). I once obtained 3 consecutive 1988A fives at a bank, and it was obvious that someone held onto them for a prolonged time period. Altogether, whether you have first issue blue $100s or final issue B&W $100s, they will be worth face value- even in the coming decades. Why? 1. Both types of note are common (millions printed) 2. Both series are still abundant in circulation (because they are a new series) 3. Considering the lifespan of a $100, these notes should still be available for at least a decade. 4. Very few paper money collectors need high denim./face value for their collections
The first problem is "speculation" with $100 notes. It really restricts the # of people who would be interested in locking up that much for that long for an unknown return. So you've had $500 tied up for 6 yrs w/no return; consider that if you had put that into an investment returning 5%, it would be almost $750 now. Same answer. Yes! Yes! (Again, the problem is not the saving of pristine notes. The problem is that you severely restrict the # of people who would be interested, albeit, there will always be collectors for high value notes. For example, my note collection is much, much smaller than my coin collection, but I still like doing it. I do not have, nor will consider anything over a $20.) No one has a crystal ball. Your guess (& speculation) is as good as anyone's, and anyone who thinks they can predict that is a fool... I don't know your financial situation or collecting agenda, but I think you would probably be better served by trading that $1000 in for smaller notes, which you would have a much easier time moving (liquidating) if & when the need arises. JMHO, FWIW
Photos are always a great idea, as the number one thing people look at In collecting is condition then we can give you a better idea on value And if there worth keeping, but even in the best condition any premium would be at a minimum.
In addition to what others have said: It's important to remember that notes don't go up in value just because they're "old". They go up in value because the number of collectors who want them is greater than the number of notes available to go around. So in order to know when (or whether) your notes will increase in value, we'd have to know how many collectors will want them in the future, which of course we don't know. If collecting early-21st-century $100 notes becomes very popular, then your notes could be worth many times face value in just a few years. But historically, collectors have tended to focus on lower denominations; if that trend continues, it'll be a very long time before there's strong demand for recent $100's. Another point is that, while there are a number of collectors of current notes, there aren't a lot of collectors of recent-past notes. There are dedicated collectors who are trying to obtain one of each new block that comes out, or each new star run, or at least each new series. But while plenty of folks are looking for the latest Series 2013 or Series 2017 notes, almost nobody is trying to assemble a block set of Series 2006 right now. The collectors who were collecting a decade ago already finished that set, and the collectors who've started collecting more recently are usually worrying about today's new printings, not trying to backfill. Again, it's possible that future collectors will behave differently, but that's not the way I'd bet. So my prediction would be that the collector demand for 2006A and 2009A $100's over the next couple of decades will be basically nil. Unless and until that changes, they'll be worth face value. Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't save them. I've got one of each in my collection, because I want to have examples of each $100 design. But I wouldn't recommend saving them in the hope of selling at a profit in your lifetime. There are other ways of making money that are much more likely to work.
Thank you so very much for all your explanations and advice. I clearly have a lot to learn and very much appreciate all the knowledge you have shared.
Thank you very much for your detailed explanations and answers to my questions. I'm learning a lot here, and still have lots more to learn. And yes, I'm realizing now that it may not have been the best idea to tie up all that money for the past few years in this way. I also have a number of "flippers" which are 100's and I need to either sell them or invest them. Thanks again!
Thank you for your clear and thoughtful response and for explaining all that. I'm thinking of saving one of each series notes just as something interesting to collect (I have them in lower denominations) but I understand the slim-to-none chances of it being worth anything more than face in the next 2 decades. It's possible that in 100 years or so collectors would want these notes, but my heirs will spend them long before a century comes to pass LOL! One more question, if I may. You mentioned collecting "Block Sets" - what are those? Thank you again for your help.
Thank you for the tip. To be honest, I find it cumbersome and time consuming to take pictures (am not very tech savvy) and because there is nothing special about these notes except what I've described, I didn't think it was necessary. I was also not looking to sell them - it was more of a general question about UNC current high face value notes.
You’re welcome. However, I would recommend collecting denominations below $100. As Steve mentioned, with such high face value, it doesn’t make sense to tie up large amounts of cash for several years. There will be a larger probability of inflation eating away at the notes’ value than the accruing of collector value.
Yes, I hear that now and that is what I will be focusing on moving forward. When I put all the 100's notes aside, it was with the intention of finding the answers to all of these questions immediately, while I also knew in the back of my mind that if I needed emergency cash I could always grab these. But life gets in the way and it's been 6 years now, and I'm just getting around to asking (and thankfully didn't need the emergency cash). Truth be told, the notes are nice and crisp, easier to store than crumpled bills, and in that way they are still useful for an emergency stash. I'm just glad I'm finally learning all this now so I know how to move forward. I've always collected what was interesting to me personally (have some $1 notes that end in 10-U which makes me smile because it looks to me like it says "IOU". I have some $1 notes with other interesting things on them. When I saw a news article about the new $100's coming out I went and got the 5 UNC of the old style, and then 5 UNC of new style on the day they were issued (honestly, I was upset that I missed those opportunities for the $5, $10 & $20 notes a few years earlier). It was the "collector" instinct in me that at times gets the better of me. It was the same instinct that made me buy every newspaper on the newsstands in New York on 9/11/2001 and 9/12 and 9/13 as well as a handful of New York postcards of the Twin Towers a few weeks later from a street vendor. I still have those postcards. I like things like this. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don't. (I gave 95% of the newspapers to a guy who was creating a 9/11 museum and was looking for rare newspapers that he couldn't find and kept the few "main" papers of the day for myself for historic value. I take them out every couple of years on 9/11 to show the young'uns, show friends, family, to remember the day, etc. Anyway, like I said, my instinct doesn't always serve me well. I'm just glad I didn't wait another 6 years before getting these questions answered! Thank you again!
You mean the pictures? Yes, I suppose. Again, there is nothing special about them other than what I've described. If any of you are seriously interested in buying the notes and that is why you want to see pictures, feel free to "Start a Conversation" with me and I will go through the trouble of taking pictures. Otherwise, I see no point for the hassle. Unless there is some other reason I'm missing here, in which case I'm open to being enlightened.
