This may seem like a silly question, but I recently acquired a 1981 $100 bill through a regular transaction, and it seems like it's in awfully good condition for a note that is now 30 years old. It's still crisp, but has an almost indiscernible crease down the center. But even with that, it still stands straight out when you hold it at one end. There are no tears, stains, nicks, or other bends or creases. The corners are unbent or worn. There has been no writing or anything else done to it. Frankly, it's in better shape than most of the other money I handle from day to day, even paper money that's only a few years old. I'm not sure it could be in any better shape if someone had closed it in a sleeve and a book right after getting it from a bank in 1981. I have no way to scan it or post a photo right now, and I'm not sure paper money this recent is worth much over face value; but I hoped I might get some other opinions based on the information I was able to provide on whether or not it's a keeper or a spender.
For the collector this does not compute! Well the note you describe acquired a center fold somewhere between it being cracked from a Federal Reserve brick of new notes to the bank to you... A fresh note tucked away from day one would not, if handled correctly in the way you suggested, be inferior conditionally speaking to the note you have with the fold. The only way we can help you with grade is to see the note. Until you can provide a scan of both sides with all margins defined, as the condition will determine potential numismatic value, you can tell us a few other things, which Federal Reserve district is the note from? Does it have any special about the serial number? Some block numbers are more sought after than others and some SNs are considered fancy if low numbers, repeating, patterns or other numerical arrangements collectors find appealing. How well is the printing centered in the margins? How is the paper surface? Brightness? Embossing? $100 Series of 1981 notes are not particularly valuable unless you have a Richmond (E) star (*) serial number, the rest of them have to be Gem ChCU to approach the twice face value (approximately). Richmond had the only star notes of the series and there are very few of them printed, 640,000 per Friedberg catalog figures given in the 3rd edition.
For the collector this does not compute! Well the note you describe acquired a center fold somewhere between it being cracked from a Federal Reserve brick of new notes to the bank to you... A fresh note tucked away from day one would not, if handled correctly in the way you suggested, be inferior conditionally speaking to the note you have with the fold. The only way we can help you with grade is to see the note. Until you can provide a scan of both sides with all margins defined, as the condition will determine potential numismatic value, you can tell us a few other things: Which Federal Reserve district is the note from? Does it have any special about the serial number? Some block numbers are more sought after than others and some SNs are considered fancy if low numbers, repeating, patterns or other numerical arrangements collectors find appealing. How well is the printing centered in the margins? How is the paper surface? Brightness? Embossing? $100 Series of 1981 notes are not particularly valuable unless you have a Richmond (E) star (*) serial number, the rest of them have to be Gem ChCU to approach the twice face value (approximately). Richmond had the only star notes of the series and there are very few of them printed, 640,000 per Friedberg catalog figures given in the 3rd edition.
Pardon my exaggeration regarding the crease; I was merely trying to convey what I think is extraordinary condition for a circulated bill that's 30 years old. Believe it or not, you have to look pretty closely to even see that the bill was once folded there. In any event, it's from Kansas City (J), and doesn't have any unique serial numbers or anything like that. I've done a little of the homework on what is considered unique, fancy, and/or desirable where serial numbers are concerned, and these don't meet any of those standards. As for the paper condition, it's crisp and bright, like a new bill. Wherever it circulated, it hasn't moved around much. I almost feel like it could have been somebody's rainy day stash, and was only spent as a last resort... it's either that well taken care of, or just that unused. I happened to be reading some opinions about a similar 1981 $100 bill that was pictured on another site; and many of those members were suggesting the owner keep it... and it didn't seem to be in equal condition to the one I have. There was nothing unique or unusual about that one either, and it even had some red ink from a faint bank stamp on it. Here is the picture of that bill, and the one I have is in similar condition. However, the bill pictured has not only the crease from a fold in the middle, like mine, but, looking at the back, it also appears to have been folded in half again; plus it also has the red stamp ink on the face. That's the best description I can give until I can scan it elsewhere.
In regards to the note you found being discussed on another forum... Believe it or not, before I even enlarged the images, I could tell, from the reverse, that this note had a classic trifold. I doubt most collectors of paper money would need to look any longer than a quick glance to catch it. Likewise, the evidence on the face around the portrait of a teller stamp that went beyond the strap that this note was once in, on the top of the stack, sticks out like a sore thumb. In the example note, upon enlarging the images I see several soft crescent shaped bends in the paper which count against the grade as well, most are in or near the margins and corner areas. This note has plenty of issues such that it's a spender, so I don't know why those other folks were so keen on keeping it, though there are plenty of people that seem quite pleased with common (not rare) circulated and problem notes in their collections. So, your KC note is not a rare one but if you like it, then by all means keep it. If it were mine and I wanted a note like this in my collection, then I would spend it towards buying a note without any folds, marks or bends of any kind as it wouldn't set me back that much nor be that hard to come by, given this series and district, to acquire such a problem free note. Once you gain some more familiarity with grading and what a problem free note looks like, the problems I quickly pointed out become very pronounced to the trained eye.
IMHO, this note is a spender. It has a center crease in it which takes away the collector value. One thing to understand is how paper money is used. $100 notes don't circulate much and as a result they tend to last. What you have is probably a note that spent much of it's life in a bank vault on in someone's safe. However, that is common for this type of note so many have survived like this. If it were completely crisp and uncirculated, it would have a premium to it. But, it has been circulated some and it is evident based on that center crease. Because this is a common note (from a print run of 12.8 million) it's only worth face value. If you like this note because it is older and you found it in circulation, there is no reason not to keep it if you can afford to do so. However, I don't anticipate this note increasing in value in the foreseeable future. Also, just for your own information...the dates on paper money aren't like the dates on coins. Just because the note says 1981 does not mean it was printed in 1981. Your note was actually printed in November 1984.
Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions. I wanted to make sure before it went into the wallet/bank. I imagine the feeling for spending too much on a coin or bill that isn't very valuable would be quite similar to actually spending one that is... I try to avoid that particular feeling whenever possible.
Honestly I think that maybe yes it could be considered a spender because it's survived many years as 100 dollar bills were not spent much, but think about the next 30 years 40 years 50 years maybe even 70 years. I'm sure this is what people thought back in the 30's about 100 dollar bills. SPENDERS. Well 50 years from now your kids or grandkids will be on ebay trying to find a good priced 100 dollar bill from the early 80's. Grandpa (or grandma) that's such an old bill and look at the amazing condition. You have to think of the long term and not the short term. But of course some people care nothing about old money and the history of it. That is ok too. If you ever find an old bill just think of what I said. Unless you need 100 dollars in emergency money that is also an option. Glad you asked that question. Always happy to answer questions regarding paper money and coinage.
I have a 1981 $100 bill from b 2 New York I do not know how to grade the conditions of it someone help me plz
Hello, Can you help me out? I came across these $100 bills. I haven't seen these bills in a long time. Can anyone tell me if these bills are worth keeping or keeping as a treasure for myself? They are not perfect but in great shape to me. Only one has a fold unfortuantly and one is dirty looking but kind of stiff feeling on all. I have a 1981, 1981 A, 1974, 1990. I'm sure they probrably arent good but worth the ask. I will keep them no matter the outcome because they are still cool to look at . Maybe keep these for my grand children whenever they are born.
I’m trying to upload pictures but I’m not able for some reason. I’m on my phone. Pictures are on my phone.
