...and I think it might be one of my new obsessions. I know I haven't been around much. Went off to college in September and since then, numismatics hasn't exactly been my primary focus. I had a little Ebay hustle going last summer which I have stopped since I'm not sure how to ship coins out from college, but really, meeting new people, education, consistent lifestyle improvement, and girls have been my focus for the last two months. I carry that lowball 1859-S half in my wallet, and that's about it. However, I did manage to drive home one weekend to go to the PNNA show, which is unfortunately no longer an ANA show but still has the biggest PNW dealers in attendance. Went around the show, bought a few ancients, picked up a bunch of world silver for a good deal under spot, and figured that a cheap large size note would be cool to bring back and hang on my wall. Asked a dealer I knew for a while if anyone might have some cheap '23 Horse Blankets, I didn't care that much about condition. He pointed me to a dealer he knew well with quite a few banknotes in his case, but his cheapest Large Size note was a 1917 $2 at $80. Nice note, just a little stained. Unfortunately also a little too expensive to just showcase on a wall. I remembered another dealer at that show who sold nothing but currency. (I had once bought a colonial note off him, an October 25, 1775 PA 9d note.) Went up and asked if he had any cheap Large Size notes. He pulled this out: A well-used Series 1914 $5 Fed note, with a gorgeous reverse design. (Also very clear why they called these greenbacks, even though that term dates back to the Civil War). Dealer asked for $40, and having done a little research on later Large Size notes and seeing sell prices, I took his offer. Also had a 38-D nickel I picked out of a bin for $0.50 earlier and sold to him for $1 just for fun. Said he hadn't bought a coin in a long time (just currency). So I do guess the real price was $39.50. Haven't found a good way to hang this one up yet, so it lives in my desk drawer for now. Have got some good reactions out of it though. Isn't it crazy how badass our currency used to be?
Very nice @Omegaraptor. Here’s a pair from my collection. Blue Seal (Paid $53.00 Circa 2010) Red Seal (Paid $131.00 Circa 2013)
Nice big bills! I also had a horrible desire to see an actual "horseblanket" a while back and I finally took the plunge with a not terribly expensive (it was more than $40) 1923 $1 blue seal. I was shocked at how much the old larger bills loomed over the small sized ones. People in 1928 must have had to adjust somewhat to the rather startling reduction. I often wonder if people at the time joked that the smaller size made the dollar seem worth less than it had previously - and the events of 1929 probably reinforced that thought for anyone who had it. In any case, I took the following picture and posted it here some time ago for those who have never seen the two sizes juxtaposed. And here are both sides of the big bill - those things are fascinating.. and large...
Welcome back. College life can be all consuming, even if it is just the girls. LOL I think you have a nice example to display, for not much money. I think I'd take it to Michael's, or some other inexpensive framing place and have it framed. Another thought, find and challenge an art major student to paint you an enlarged version and then display both on your wall.
I'm not so sure. I was once one of those Art Majors and did what others thought was pretty amazing paintings in my last years there. It depends more on the Art Dept. than the students.
