Since I began as a coin collector, I have heard many experienced collectors say to handle a coin by the edge. Don't touch the surface as it may damage the coin, and many other things. As a paper currency collector the only thing I've heard was to wash your hands before touching the note. Well, that got me wondering since recently I have noticed two things. 1. When I put my notes in holders, I'm constantly touching the surface of the note with my fingers. Will this leave fingerprints on the note? And since you can't technically hold a bill by its edges, is it safe to hold it by one end? Its a bit unnerving to slightly bend the note or watch it sag towards the middle. Which leads me to the 2nd thing. 2. I recently saw a dealer who I won't mention his name since I heard he is quite popular. Handle his notes pretty harshly. He was feeling each note and running his fingers back and forth on them. I'm guessing that this is okay since his hands might be clean? Basically I want to know if there is really a proper way to handle notes besides washing your hands. The only other alternative I can think of is to wear cotton gloves, which I really don't like.
Don't use it like toilet paper and you should be okay. I don't like to touch my notes excessively because the oils and dirt on your hands can transfer to the note. However some handling is unavoidable, especially when putting and removing notes from sleeves. If you're concerned about it, use some thin cotton gloves for the rarer notes. As long as your hands are clean, it's not going to do a lot of harm to the note by touching it. That is unless you just ate some Chef Boyardee with your hands, or frankly anything acidic. I wouldn't rub notes like what you described. That can put wrinkles and smudges on the note.
I used to be a stamp collector; my notes only get touched by stamp tongs, and then it's only to put them into a holder. Dave
I take a clean piece of paper and cut a piece about 1 1/2" by 2" and fold it , like this : Then, finger and thumb on the outside, center of the note in between the 2 flaps. It works for me. It's easy to insert or remove a note from a holder without touching the note at all, once I get the folded paper in between the note and the holder. With care, it's easy to do.
He is probably feeling for pressed out folds or slight creases. This is not an uncommon practice with raw UNC notes.
I generaly just take it out of my pocket and hand it to my woman(safer that way)...never to be seen again...
