Help identifying foreign currency (Portugal, GB, Greece, etc)

Discussion in 'Paper Money' started by GeorgeM, Jun 6, 2012.

  1. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    I picked up a handful of paper currency the other day (along with some foreign silver) at a WeBuyGold place. The shop owner couldn't ID the paper and wasn't going to buy it from a seller, but I offered $2 for the lot. I was surprised to find that most of the notes (which I presume date from the 60's-90's) don't have any printed dates that stand out to me. Is the US one of the few countries that puts a series date on paper currency?

    I doubt I have anything particularly rare in here, but would appreciate help identifying the date or era of some of these notes. There are about 3 scanners worth, so I'll have a post for each group (front and back).

    Currency - scanned 2012-6-6 01 001 -resized.jpg Currency - scanned 2012-6-6 02 001-resized.jpg
     
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  3. Hiddendragon

    Hiddendragon World coin collector

    Those Portuguese ones have a date on them at least, but I can't read it from the picture. I see one says something about November and another December. It runs over the man's suit.
     
  4. Dave M

    Dave M Francophiliac

    Hmmm... I see a date on all but the british note! You just need to look close and don't expect it to be in english :) The portugal notes are kind of neat in that you have 3 of the same note (essentially), but 3 different signature varieties.

    Dave
     
  5. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

  6. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

  7. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    I went out to do some Storage Unit auctions today, got separated from the group, and found a Half Price Books instead. While browsing in there, I found an inexpensive copy of the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: 1961-Present (16th edition).

    So, I pulled out my rag pile and checked to see if there's anything particularly valuable in there. Is there a prefix for labelling currency numbers found in that book? For example, a coin with the label 3 would technically be KM-3.

    Anyway, here are my tentative ID's on these bills:
    179e Portugal 100 Escudos, 12/3/1987, (there are 8 signature varieties) worth ~$3.75
    179f, Portugal 100 Escudos, 12/24/1988 (I have 2 of the 6 signature varieties) ~$3.25 + $3.25
    93a, Peru 10 Soles de Oro, 2/23/1968, ~$0.50
    196, Greece 100 Drachmai, 1/10/1967, ~$1
    374g, Great Britain 1 Pound, 1970-1977, ~$4
     
  8. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    59a(?), Guatemala 1 Quetzal, "5 Enero 1972" = 5/1/1972 (or am I reading the authorization date and missing the printing date?), ~2.50
    1, United Arab Emirates 1 Dirham, ND=1973, ~$6 (and maybe $1 for the torn one)
    85a, Iran 50 Rials, ND=1969-1971, ~$5 (but minor tear, so not in VF)
    157, Spain 500 Pesetas, 10/23/1979, ~$14
    158, Spain 1000 Pesetas, 10/23/1979, ~$22.50 (but torn, so clealy worth less)
    192b, Brazil 5 Cruzeiros, 1973, ~$0.25
    140b, Chile 50 Escudos, Series F, ND=1962-1975, ~$0.25
    143, Chile 10 Escudos, ND=1962-1975, ~$0.25

    I was surprised, because I expected the Chilean 50 Escudo to be an older note (it is notably larger than almost everything else from the period).

    Do Spanish notes really command such a price premium? Or is that just wishful thinking on behalf of whoever priced the reference book?
     
  9. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Well-Known Member

    Spanish Pesetas are exchangable for Euro`s at face value in Spain, if you list them on ebay, they will sell.
    The £1 note is worth $1.54 and is exchangable for a £1 coin in UK banks and Post Offices.
    Portuguese notes in bulk sell well on eBay to people in Portugal.
     
  10. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    Really? I thought all the euro countries stopped trading their old currencies for Euros ages ago. How many euros are 1000 pesetas worth?
     
  11. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Well-Known Member

    About 6 Euros or $7.50, You can still change German Marks in Germany , Italian Lire in Italy.
    http://www.sysmod.com/eurocalc/offec-ir.htm
     
  12. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Well-Known Member

    Austria Schillings: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Belgium Francs: Notes indefinitely but coin redemption ended in 2004.
    Cypriot Pounds: Notes until Dec 31, 2017 and coin redemption ended in 2009.
    Finland Markkas: Notes and coins until Jan 29, 2012.
    France Francs: Notes until February 17th, 2012, coin redemption ended in 2005.
    Germany Marks: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Greece Drachmas: Notes until March 2012, coin redemption ended in 2004.
    Italy Liras: Notes and coins until February 29th, 2012.
    Ireland Pounds: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Luxembourg Franc Notes indefinitely, coin redemption ended in 2004.
    Maltese Liras: Notes until 31 January 2018, coins until 1 February 2010.
    Netherlands Guilders: Notes until Jan 1st, 2032, coin redemption ended in 2007.
    Portugal Escudos: Notes until Dec. 30, 2022 but coin redemption ended in 2002.
    Slovakia Crowns: Notes indefinitely and coins until the end of 2014.
    Slovenia Tolars: Notes indefinitely and coins until 31 December 2016.
    Spain Pesetas: Notes and coins indefinitely.
     
  13. Dave M

    Dave M Francophiliac

    You would generally refer to a number from SCWPM as "P-179e" for "Pick", Albert Pick being the guy who first put together the catalog.

    Dave
     
  14. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member

    Thanks!
     
  15. GeorgeM

    GeorgeM Well-Known Member


    Very interesting. That might alter what I grab from dealer's junk bins. Do you have to travel to those countries to redeem the old currencies for Euros?

    And these are the countries still redeeming coinage for Euros?

    Austria Schillings: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Germany Marks: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Ireland Pounds: Notes and coins indefinitely.
    Slovakia Crowns: Notes indefinitely and coins until the end of 2014.
    Slovenia Tolars: Notes indefinitely and coins until 31 December 2016.
    Spain Pesetas: Notes and coins indefinitely.
     
  16. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Well-Known Member

    Yes you can travel or sell them on ebay to people that are already living there.
    I sell Spanish Peseta currency notes to UK buyers who either have properties in Spain or go on holiday there.
    One local guy told me he makes enough money buying Pesetas on ebay then changing them in Spain it pays for his 3 holidays a year.
    Spanish 100 Peseta coins and higher are exchangable.
    Germans will always buy Marks, notes and coins (Coins of one mark or more, not Pfennigs)
     
  17. chrisild

    chrisild Coin Collector

    Not that is matters much now :) but the redemption period for Italian lire notes and coins ended on 7 Dec 2011. That was a short term change made last year. Also, Estonian krooni (crowns) can be redeemed indefinitely.

    Note however that all this does not necessarily apply to "old cash". For example, the Austrian 500 schilling note that shows Rosa Mayreder can be redeemed "forever", as that was part of the last pre-euro series. The 500 ATS note featuring Otto Wagner can be redeemed until 2018.

    Christian
     
  18. chrisild

    chrisild Coin Collector

    Basically correct, except that Estonia is missing (notes and coins indefinitely). In Slovakia, circulation coins can be redeemed until the end of 2013 - interestingly, collector coins are not affected by that deadline.

    Here in Germany you can take any DM cash ever issued (except for the 2 DM 1951 coin) to the nearest Bundesbank branch office, or mail it to their cash service center in Mainz, see http://www.bundesbank.de/Redaktion/...h_management/dm_banknotes_coins_exchange.html Theoretically you can even give them a few pfennig coins and get a few cent coins. Except that what you pay in terms of fare or parking may be more than what you get. ;)

    Christian
     
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