OK so recently I thought I would embark on a journey to collect some US notes. I am not knowledgeable in the field so I was wondering if I could get some help. Silver certificates seem cool. Are there any websites that show a list of US currency that I could look at. I don't have too much money and wouldn't want to spend more than 15 dollars or so on a single note. Any help would be great. Thank you.
OK let's say I want to buy one of the cheapest types of Silver Certificates in XF-AU, what kind of price am i looking at?
First thing to do is to get yourself some litriture on the subject, for US notes in genral I use the Black Book It is full of very useful info
Well i have the RED book lol is the red book a good one too? I'll check out the black book next time I'm home. Oh and should I get stacks of bills from the bank (kind of like roll searching for coins). What about stacks of $1s and $2s?
Hey thanks for the info. The silver certificates are only 25 dollars in gem crisp uncirculated. Maybe I will get one of those. Is this a good website? Where do you guys generally get your bills.
Depending on your taste and budget, you may find some nice examples in many different venues. If you pick a certain series or type note, get the books and study before you embark on setting a goal that will never be completed. Mr. Kelly's site is a good source, so are , David Lawrence Rare Coin, Heritage Currency Auctions and Teletrades Currency auction (held 1x month) Good luck... RickieB
Thanks, I like the 1957 $1 Silver Certificates, they only cost $8 on this website in CHCU and a star one in Gem is only $15. I might get some of these or I may wait until a show/check my local dealer.
Something that doesn't get stated enough and most new collectors would never even think of. Buy yourself some mylar currency holders. As you buy notes for your collection, transfer the newly acquired notes to your mylar holders (unless the note was sealed by a reputable grading company). The reason for this is that many dealers use cheaper holders to display/sell their notes and over time, these cheaper holders can damage the note. This is a bigger issue with coins, but it happens with notes also. Good Luck.
You should be able to find a wide variety of notes - even in CU condition - for under $15 if you hunt around. I have a $2 (1953 I think) United States Note, '57B $1 Silver Cert. and a '35G $1 Silver Cert. all in CU and I bought them all for under $15 each. I think the most valuable thing to learn, however, is the difference between CU and AU notes. Oftentimes, a note may look CU but actually has a slight fold somewhere. Learn to look over notes VERY well in order to find any stains, small tears, or minor folds so that you don't buy something you think is CU but later to find to be only AU once you're back home. After learning the difference myself, I was able to purchase that 1935 Silver Cert. for $5 or so at a show because it was marked as AU, and yet I poured over it and found it to be crisp through and through!
Great advice on all parts JHar4330 , Some pretty smart fellers here don't you think? Any of it sound familiar? Keep asking those questons buddy! clembo
Thanks for the info everyone. Do you think coin shows would be a good place to buy paper money or should I just go to a paper money show? Also does anyone have any opinions regarding the 1957 silver cert for 8+4s/h= $12 total in gem BU online? Is there any potential in an increase in value of these bills, especially with all the dollar COINS that are being minted (possible replacement of the dollar bill with the dollar coin)
I think coin shows are a great bet. I've never heard of any strictly paper money shows, though. There are always paper money dealers at coins shows, regardless. I think $12 is a fair price for a straight 1957 Silver Cert. However, there are three series for the '57's: 1957, 1957A, and 1957B. I think in ChCU condition, 1957B is the more valuable of the three (maybe around $15 for the grade) while 1957A is the most common (around $8-$10). 1957 would fall somewhere in the middle. As an aside, I was going through one of the currency books I checked out last week from the library, and I think ChCU 1957B star-notes are actually worth less than non star-notes for the same series. Odd... As for value...well, the same hold true for paper money as it does for coins: the better the condition, the more they rise in value. A VF/XF Silver Cert. is worth barely more than face to most dealers (series '35 AND series '57), but a CU note will carry a nice premium for both those years, and that premium will rise over time at a much higher rate than a heavily circulated, 'common date' note.
Yes, good deals can be found at coinshows. Also remember to search on Ebay. Sometimes you can find a good deal on there even after you add in the shipping costs. If nothing else, it will give you a better idea of what these notes are actually selling for.
Reading books is always a great start. I try to stay with the cheaper stuff for now until I learn more. I've probably overpaid some but I don't regret anything that I have purchased so far. However, I think I've made some good deals too. It just takes time and patience. I just don't chase any bargains that are too good to be true. If my gut tells me the price is too high I trust what it is saying.
