Hate to bug you folks.....but I have a quick question about coin/paper currency shows. I know I’m weird.....I like AU and UNC UNgraded paper currency. I know that sounds crazy but that’s what I like. I know this is sacrilege....but I have cut a note out of a graded holder before. Please forgive me. I finally worked up enough courage to go to my first show; the Long Beach Coin expo next month. I’m bringing some cash and hope to make some purchases. my question is....will it be overly challenging to find nicer notes that are not graded? Is there a good amount of ungraded notes at these shows? Seems like most videos I see online of past shows are all graded currency. Or should I just get over it and buy graded notes. thank you in advance for any advice.
There is typically a ton of raw notes at the larger coin/currency shows. Dealers will have stacks of them for you to go through. Then, it’s up to you to evaluate their condition. I recommend bring a small, LED torch (flashlight) with you.
I think it is OK to buy ungraded notes if you are educated on what you are looking for. While you may not cherry pick a diamond in the rough, the venue is a good one for getting a good deal. There is lots of inventory, and they want to sell. You can bargain a little bit. Especially because you are paying cash, you aren't fooling around. You mention that in your negotiations. Cash is still king.
I’ve never had a problem with finding nice raw notes. You didn’t state the type of notes you collect other than raw so take a 10x loupe and a light. Using both will help you to find pinholes if you collect older notes. Have fun and please post what you find.
Thank you for the help. I would be ecstatic to find one or more of the following. These are my dream notes over the next handful of years. Fingers crossed. I think I can convince the wife of allowing me to get one or two of these a year. I know this is a tall order. 1. 1899 $2 silver certificate 2. 1922 $20 gold certificate 3. 1928 $10 + $50 gold certificate 4. 1907 $5 woodchopper 5. 1923 $1 red seal 6. North African and Hawaiian notes. Thank you for all the advice.
Great advice above. I would just add that you may want to bring a friend (or have a fellow collector tow along). Why? A 2nd set of eyes is always very helpful to get an idea of what you're really looking at (especially when it comes to embossing & determining if the note is 'EPQ' or 'Original' & not pressed). The flashlight should show you whether the note has embossing (indent shadows) on the reverse where the serial numbers are. Discussing what you see will lend credibility to you as a collector/buyer. If nobody you know is interested in attending, then chat with some collectors & ask them if they mind giving a 2nd opinion (you'd be surprised how helpful some collectors will be- esp those just 'window shopping'). Typically, the seller will label their inventory (& if the note is not labelled 'EPQ' or 'Original' than you can assume it's been pressed). I know that this may not mean a lot to you now but believe me, if you're truly serious about the 'nicer ungraded notes' & like the idea of 'cherry picking,' then original/EPQ is the way to go. For the older notes the 'EPQ' standard really sets the nice ones apart from the dull/more commonly pressed currency. If it doesn't have that designation (& you can see its been pressed but you've got to have it) then the dealer/seller should be much more flexible in his negotiations. You might also discover some sellers assume notes are UNC b/c they purchased a sequential run. A lot of sellers I met over the years were strictly coin dealers & cut corners calling pressed notes 'original' and left true 'gems' unlabelled. Another thing to consider (if the seller is clearly a currency guy/gal who knows his/her stuff) & you feel you can trust him/her, is to buy 2 notes. Sellers always gave me substantial discounts when I bought more than one note (& I had a collector friend with me). Strength in numbers? Perhaps... anyway, let us know how you make out. Good luck!
Thank you so much for taking the time and giving me all that advice. Helps out greatly. I guess I didn’t realize how pressing was so prevalent. I’m also pleasantly surprised I can negotiate with these folks especially when purchasing multiple notes. What you wrote is really a big help. I guess it leads me to this question.....what would stop someone from buying or creating a die set to add embossing to the pressed note’s serial numbers? Doesn’t seem like it would be overly difficult. Maybe that’s a tad far fetched...... Anyways, thank you again for the tips. I will take my time and post the finds.
