I have building a type set of Confederate paper money for a few years. I am getting close to "the big six" when the prices really get high, and probably out of my reach although I would like to spring for one Montgomery note eventually. Here is a T-11 I just purchased. Dealer and author Pierre Fricke and I had a discussion about this variety. These notes were printed on stiff bond paper which didn't hold up well in circulation. Therefore most of the notes that are available have been "worked on" on "processed" to one degree or another. Pierre had a couple pieces that he though had not been processed and was urging me buy one of them. One graded VG-10, which is a bit low for me. It had an obvious tear. I am more of an eye appeal collector so I ended up with this one which is marked "Restoration" on the back. It suits me, and since I am not looking to sell in the short run, I am okay with it. What do you veteran note collectors think? I am no expert when ti comes to this area.
I don't collect these so I can't comment on the grading, but to me it does have nice eye appeal for the grade.
I'm certainly no expert, but I did spend a couple of years putting together a US $1 note collection. When it came the the older, more expensive types, the minimum boundary that I set for myself was straight 20. But, the only correct answer to questions about what is and isn't acceptable is, "whatever you decide". So long as you're getting stuff at a fair price, then you go after whatever you like.
A tougher note in the CSA paper money. Very nice looking and well trimmed. As the notes were all cut by hand the trimming is very nice.
The eye appeal looks good so I would be ok with the net graded example over a lower grade that wasn't netted but was less attractive.
Understanding the context is key. Great note: a true "collector's note." If you're buying this note as an investment, maybe not so much, but as a collector- its got super "eye appeal" & that's what counts. Congrats!
That is an interesting comment. For several hundred dollars more, I could have had a piece with less work done on it, but a weaker appearance. Who makes up the customer base if this a good "collectors' note?" Is it the purist collectors who need to have everything original? I could have had one that was supposed to be original, but it was grades VG-10 and had a couple of tears that went into the body of the note. I didn't care for it.
Those are tough questions to answer. My best guess for "a" is the more experienced collector (for example, one who knows that looking for "Q" paper in certain series is futile). b) I don't think the "purist" make up all collectors so I would say "no." When I wrote "collectors' note" I simply meant a collector who knows a specific series. If he/she specifies, I would consider him/her a "specialist" and fairly advanced in the hobby. These folks set collector goals & may have minimum requirements (but may also just settle to fill gaps in some areas). This is what they do best & their priorities (typically) aren't about making a profit on a note (thinking of the hobby in terms of an 'investment'). "Eye appeal" (whether the note fits in their set), meets personal standards, are the kinds of priorities these folk consider. Collectors come in all degrees of the spectrum, from 'dabbler' to 'fully committed/informed' & somewhere in between. Our financial situation can also impose on our goals. People rarely fit nice, neat dichotomies (these guys are serious & get a "10" while that group over there aren't & only get a "1"). I'm just making generalizations about something fairly complicated. Collectors who think of their notes purely as an "investment" are a relatively newer (more recent) breed, I believe (but I may be wrong there too). They typically aren't into completing sets but more into the technical grades (& what they speculate they can do with the high grade TPG note). I've actually seen a pretty advanced US collector show off his large sized notes that are highly graded on Youtube, touting that his "Woodchoppers, etc" will pay off in the future. I tend to believe he's probably correct provided he sells his notes during an up cycle. I've been collecting for 47 years & consider this a fairly new trend (seeing so many newbies ask what current banknotes are worth, etc).
Hey, collecting is all about what you like and enjoy, unless you are trying to profit from notes, go with your gut. JMHO
When I started collecting that is exactly what we did! But in my case that was 47 years ago & the only "books/info" out there were dated pamphlets! Today is such a different context (with forums like this & so many books/online resources) to educate oneself! I get tired of seeing this "go with your gut" sentiment bounced around b/c it takes the fun out of collecting too. I don't collect coins b/c I cannot imagine collecting simply what I like (blindly). I'd go broke fast! I don't look at "collecting as an investment" but I don't look at it as simply eyeballing what goes through my pocket either. Learning what to collect gives me a great deal of enjoyment too! Every once in a while I see question/posts (on forums & Reddit) about coin subscriptions, Littleton & a collector seeking a new dealer. (IE: these people/businesses supply coins/banknotes for the collector). I guess that's what some people do but I can't, for the life of me, imagine going down that road. A great deal of the pleasure (for me) is discovering what I want & the hunt that follows too!
its a nice note, being graded gives you a better feeling of authenticity as allot of confederate notes are faked.
