Can you guess the grade of this 1896 $1 Silver Cert?

Guys I have been into paper money for 20 years. I have seen so many doctored notes it would your head spin. It can be done many ways. One method NOT used is to iron it. This would be BAD. The most common method is to use to use room temperture water and gently the remove the excess between your fingers. Then place it between a couple of folded pieces of fresh white paper. Put it in a book and drive your vehicles front tire right over it. This is one very effective method. I have never pressed a note but I am fully aware of many of them. Educate yourself in every way. Learn how notes can be processed.

If you are going to collect currency and plan on spending $4000 on an uncirculated $1 ed you should know what to look for. TPG will not always be 100% safe but maybe 98% secure. If you dont care to or are unable to grasp the skills necessary for grading than TPG is the way to go. They miss plenty but PCGS and PMG guarantee their grade so your safe.

If your going to start buying high grade raw currency you will need a special LED bright white light. You will never see anything good looking at a banknote straight on. Find a nice dark room (bathroom, shade down). Take the light and shine it down the light at an angle. You will be amazed at the fact that you can see EVERYTHING. If you can figure this out you will never look at currency the same way. I like to smell everyting I look at. This gives away so much. Fresh original banknotes will have a very distinct smell, old but interesting. Like a vintage wine to a collector. It is the banknote bouquet as I think of it.

Note doctors have one thing in mind.....to rip people off for profit. I believe it is better to be expensive and honest. At least the buyer will recieve the quality he believes he is buying. These people turn so many potential collectors away with sometimes serious losses. Its not right and it is fraud. I have heard of several lawsuits over this and yes you can be win this type of case. Its just a matter of who wants to deal with that?

Educate yourselves and ask questions of those more experienced. Most serious collectors love to help other collectors. I know I do.

just my .02

 

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The only thing I'm slightly confused with is the price....Unless they get $610 more in bids, they'll lose money.....

 

The odds are someone will snipe it for well over what they paid for it but hopefully, it won't be a member of CT.

Ribbit

 

You get what you pay for

I have bid on Ebay for years. I find that most bidders want a "bargain", and hope and expect to get something for a "steal". There are NO bargains. I do all the major auctions, look at all the lots, and hear a lot from dealers and collectors. Virtually all truly rare currency has some "restoration". When done well, it conserves and preserves the note. When a common item is listed on Ebay, you (usually) get what you pay for. I had a customer in 1979 who wanted "discount" gold(!) Ebay offers it, and you take your chances. On one of the grading services message boards several years ago, someone "outed" a truly skilled paper restorer, who also conserves fine art for a major museum. First postings were indignant rants how "awful" the "doctor"was, then the thread postings changed to wanting to know how to make contact. Hypocritical!!! Collectables are all subject to improvement as long as people pay "stupid" money for "condition" rare common items. If you have sold on Ebay (which I have) , you know what kind of bidders you sometimes get. Get rid of the "bottom feeders on both sides...selling and bidding!!!