Since being new to currency, I keep seeing the Friedberg# on graded bills and I was wondering if there was a web site that can explain what this grading means. I've ordered some currency books recently to help me out but haven't received them.I appreciate your help. Also when collecting currency should I just buy graded currency from PCGS,PMG and CGA thanks R.Beck
Alfred Friedberg put together a book and listed each note with a number. If you have ever heard of the Pick number for world notes, its the same type of thing for US only notes. here is a link to amazon with the book hope this helps
Quite a few countries produce there own cats with different numbers to the pick ones so it can get a bit confusing at times LOL
grading is a very sticky subject only becuase it is very subjective. While most grades do have certain apsects that is pretty common, all comapnies tweak grading scale they use to 'fit' them. Some compnaies will alow different margains on a Gem note for example. Others might not allow a pin hole on a choice note. here is the PCGS currency gradding scale. I tried to find the PMG scale lats night, and what aspects they look for at each grade, but was unable to find one. IMHO grading notes is a heck of alot easier then coins! but thats just me lol thats does not mean its easy, its just easier then coins it takes soem time, but looking at notes that carry the sames grades, you will start to see the slight differences. Also, reading up on what constitutes a grade onthe PCGS site for example, will help as well. What companies you use depends entirely on you. I prefer ungraded note myself - but i usually dont buy expensive notes either. If you end up buying more expensive notes, i would stick to graded notes. the cheaper or low end notes are not faked as often. The most important thing is, just like coins, buy the note not the slab. Take my $10 africa note i posted in the other thread. I think it could be a 63, and did not pay 64 money for it. If the askign price was what a Cu64 would cost, i would not have bought it. Once you get comfortable with grading paper, you can find the smaller paper grading companies, the ones nobody likes to use because they dont grade very well ... there are times you can find a nice note in their plastic, and get it super cheap becuase nobody wants to buy them
