Opinions on leading zeroes.

Wow! That does come with a historic tale.

Now tell me, do you try to make yourself sound old, or does it just happen naturally?

 

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We discussed low numbers a while ago..... some interesting notes there:

http://www.cointalk.com/t166210/

 

Would it, though? There's a reason the Nationals didn't need eight-digit serials: they were printed in fairly small quantities, and the serial numbering started at 1 for each individual bank. So there are a *lot* of low-ish numbers out there. In terms of collector interest, I think a National with three leading zeroes is roughly equivalent to a modern FRN with three leading zeroes--kinda cool but not worth any added premium on account of its serial number.

 

I think I would have a harder time finding a higher National S/N rather than a low one.

 

Clay, AND A STAR?!?!!

 

Steve, I'm really liking those 12's, especially that B-B block. Mainly because it from the scarcer Fort Worth printing of that block.
The '09 B-B block $1's were divided up between DC and FW printings, with the FW printing totaling 6,400,000 notes.

Very nice, and thank you for the contribution. :thumb:

 

In this paticular case, it is, and that's why I indicated that it was low number. There were 17,000 small notes printed for this charter, 66% were the $20 denomination. (over 10,000 notes) In fact only 2.3% of these are known to exist with a rarity of R4. Nothing major there but it does make this 375 number low. I understand that Nationals, in both large and small size,were limited in production because of their exclusiveness for a particular charter, but it still only represents about 2% of the original total issue,not counting what actual numbers may still exist. With modern notes, you are pretty sure they all exist except for an ocassional star note.

 

Would the same philosophy apply for the first three numbers followed by 5 zeros? For example A59200000I or IH29100000N? Premium serial number?

 

Well, typically (and somebody correct me if I'm wrong) the BEP doesn't release notes with serials ending in all zeroes.

I read somewhere (of course I forget where, now) that any notes with serials ending in "0000" or "9999" are pulled, destroyed, and replaced with star notes.
However, sometimes these notes do get out into circulation, and if you find one, it is a rare find, and would most certainly be a keeper.

 

I also believe this to be correct.
I happen to have a pair of these, and paid dearly for them.




These two notes were my last purchase from Harvey Cohen. Harvey sold me many notes on eBay through Harvey's Money Store. He was always generous with his advise, gave me off-eBay discounts, and was very helpful in educating me in this wonderful hobby.

 

double post

 

i have come across quite a few notes ending in 99. here is one i just sold. 1950 E to boot :thumb:

 

I'm not sure what the survival rate has to do with the low-ness of the serial number, though. Your note is fairly rare, but the serial number 000375 isn't what makes it rare. If somebody else had the same note in the same condition with serial 003826, I don't think that your note would command a premium over that note due to its lower number. But if somebody had the same note in the same condition with serial 000005, that might get a premium. In that sense, 000005 would be a low number, while 000375 is just a run-of-the-mill serial number on this note.

In contrast, a modern FRN with serial 00000375 would derive nearly all of its collector value from the low-ness of the serial number: the same note with serial 00084724 would be worth face value. So on a modern FRN, 00000375 would be a low number.