Singpore Orchid Series $1 Solid 5s - scarcer variety Hon Sui Sen sign without seal.

My third South American Solid 55555555 after Brazil and Peru.

This is my most important match in my collection. It is extremely rare to find an uncirculated $1 1953 Malaya and British Borneo solid number in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. In 1953, the three countries uses the same currency under the colonial rules. In this case, it is a A/71 555555. Surprisingly, this 1953 QEII note come from Brazil. About 18 years ago, I have another $1 piece, Singapore Ship series $1 A/71 555555 in my collecton. Today, this two pieces are connected by their matching prefix, serial number and denomination. It is a colonial connection pair. After 53 years, they get to meet and united as one

for your collection.

A very notable accomplishment indeed, when/if I specialize in number sequences I'll be going for 2's and 4's, my lucky numbers. The Zambian Kwacha notes will of course be my starting point for that venture! Very nice see323.

naidu - Yes, it is for my specialized 555555 collection. Within the 55555 collection, I am creating areas of unique collection such as exact matching serial number, same denomination pair. So far, this is the most important pair because of the extremely rarity of the 1953 $1 solid 555555 in perfect uncirculated condition . So far, there is no uncirculated condition Malaya and British Borneo1953 series solid numbers have been seen and noted in public auctions, private collections that I aware of. It is possible they may be in private collection but none have surface out. I have seen 1953 $1 QEII 999999, 1000000 in not very good condition from private collection but never a perfect uncirculated piece.

vfox - I would encourage you to specialize in your collection. This will bring out the uniqueness of your collection. It also bring a sense of achievement when you find the pieces in your specialized collection. Start with your favorite numbers 2s and 4s. Go for the world collection as it will be appealing to the world collectors. If you need some help on that, let me know.

France 1941 10 Francs Solid 999

2003 Hong Kong Government printed $10. The note has a special serial number RR 555555. It is now part of my world solid number 555555 collection.

see323, i admire your serial no. collection. but how do you track down those solids or other special no.s when they could be circulating anywhere?

Hi see323,

Very superb serial numb3rs... did you purchase the note directly from Hong Kong bank?

Hi Naidu and thedeadpoint,

This piece was acquired from ebay Hong Kong seller just last week. Asian countries especially those with Chinese pppulation e.g. Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Taiwan have a large collector's base for solid number banknotes.

In Hong Kong, these nice serial numbers banknotes are being auction by the banks for charity purpose. I am not too sure how this piece was being acquired by the seller as it was printed by the Hong Kong governement special legistration. Traditionally, banknotes were printed in Hong Kong by the various banks. That's how the name banknotes exists until today. In Hong Kong, the existing issuing bank for currency are Bank of China, Chartered Bank and Hong Kong Bank or HSBC.

Any solid numbers with a double letter prefix e.g. BB222222, GG999999 have a premium price above the normal solid number. Double letter prefix are very popular among collectors. The example given for BB222222 have a even high premium since B = 2 in term of order of position and thereby classified under the "super solid number" category. There is no market price for these notes. It is a matter of setting an agreed price among both buyer and seller.

I acquired this note for my collection to form a small sub-collection with my large 555555 collection. It will consists of AA555555, BB555555.....ZZ555555. Generally, countries currently or in the past having this format of serial number come from Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Singapore NZ and Australia. Both NZ and Australia current format have the year included which may not fully fit into the sub-collection. Singapore only have this format in the Ship Series $2. I have a Singapore Ship Series $2 KK555555.

Solid Number banknotes collecting is not cheap. It is the most expensive category under the banknote collecting other than rare notes. There are cheap ones from India, Indonesia and Philippines. Countries which have a strong economy tends to have a larger pools of collectors and making their solid numbers higher in price due to it's demand and rarity.

Some solids number are extremely rare due to survivial rate from the circulation. The earlier ones tends to be more pricey as more people look for them and thus create higher demand for the acquisition. There are also modern ones with low mintage. It can be both commomorative or for general circulation. An example for a general circulated one is a Singapore Ship Series $1. There are only 4 letter of prefix. It runs from , A/1 to D/20. From A/1 to D/13, the signatory was Goh Keng Swee. From D/14 to D/20, there is a change in signatory which is signed by Richard Hu, a total of possible 7 pieces of solids number e.g 555555 is available for collection. That is D/14 555555 to D/20 555555. These 7 pieces are consider extremely rare. Even the ordinary ones with prefix D/14 to D/20 having Richard Hu signature fetches a higher price than those with Goh Keng Swee signature. I have 2 pieces of the 555555 from Richard Hu signature out of the 7 pieces available. As these notes are non-auctioned item. They are taken out from the bank cashiers to banknote dealers and collectors. Nobody know whether the 7 pieces from D/14 to D/20 survive the circulation. A single piece of any solid number having Richard Hu signature can have a price tag of a few thousands in SGD. About 20 years ago, I only paid a few hundred dollar in SGD for both the two notes. Due to demand and awareness of these rare solid numbers, collectors are willing to pay record breaking prices for them.

Oops...I am writing too much and too long.

Wow. that is intense. I've got some more questions but have to study for a big midterm.

Thanks for the good read and great answer though!

Does anyone know what note is this ? Is it genuine ? There is no watermark. The paper quality looks like the same as the one use in the Antaractic banknotes. Thanks

This is what it's all about the collection...thanks i do learn something...

With that €uro and the 12 stars, it looks like some kind of fantasy note from Lithuania.

Very nice thread. My only specialty in banknotes is whatever I find that I like and can afford.

Thanks Sir Sisu. Anyone from Lithuania know about this note. Thanks.

My latest large denomination solid 555555 from Italy 1997 500,000 Lire. The Italian fashion wears and accessories in Milan already a world statement in the fashion design. The last Italian currency before the Euro dollar does reflect in design sense in the Italian currency. This one happen to be the largest denomination and has a face value of US$300+. A straight solid 555555 does add further rarity and value into this Italian banknote. Part of my world solid collection now.

What a beautiful note. to your collection

Just an interesting discussion on this Italian 500,000 Lire banknote. It seems like there are only available prefixes such XA where X = any alphabet from A to Z. I have seen a number of these banknote with various prefixes where the second letter is an A. Below is an example.



Any comments on this ?

Here is another one with an RA prefix

Wow! Those are some really nice notes see323. I just can not seem to find a particular series/country/or anything to specialize in. I like everything!

I agree. Lovely note!

Ditto as above. Next time there is a Popular Banknote Comp, I wouldn't be suprised to see that take the cup.

Hard to say. Something I learn after the popular note competition. It all depend on voters. Voters do not think the same. Everyone have their taste and opinions. This note may not win any cup but glad to have it in the collection.

Without specialization, it becomes quite disorderly. Viewers may not be able to categorize and see a common theme in your collection. One way is to pick all those common theme such as those with ships and place them together as one single collections on ships. That way, you can have many collections within your big collection. The other biggest problem is finances. The only way to finance your hobby is to trade in banknotes. Buying and selling will help to finance your own personal collection.

I've never spent over $10 on a single non-US note, I know there will be times I might, but I like my cheap WWII and before stuff from Germany. Especially the German 100 mark note from 1910, just beautiful, and well worth it for the $3-$6 price in crisp white unc. (about $0.25 in used though lol) There is just something about a well designed oversized note that just strikes my interest....maybe thats my concentration then? Oversized German notes, hmm. Eh, possibly a more exact collection would be just notes that include greek and roman gods?

As it is right now though, I've gotten a pile of around 300 german notes, and about 750-800 random other countries (5 bundles of 100 though). And I want to get much much more. I have not reason to gather such a pile other than I enjoy how they are designed as an item of art, and world history. Sometimes there is never a better place to learn about a countries real history than on its currency.

Yes, we do learn a great deal about the countries from the banknotes. Art form, history, lifestyle at certain period. Around South East Asian, most of the early featured design on the banknotes were those water-buffalo at the padi field. Banknotes from Vietnam, Laos, Malaya, Indonesia, Straits Settlements have the same daily scenes during a certain period.

Just received this 2006 Singapore low serial number first prefix first polymer for a Singapore $2 signed by Goh Chok Tong ( ex-PM ).

This is the fifth note produced for a polymer $2 in Singapore currency and a change of signatory. It is going to be a rare piece in the coming years.

Nice find!

Polymers and Dutch notes are my specialty.

Hey McDoo.....

you just popped up out of no where...... Havent seen you here in a long time.... Welcome Back

Yeah - good to see you posting again. Welcome Back!

Traditionally, QEII banknotes are popular theme for world collectors. Countries from NZ, Australia, past colonial countries such as Malaya includes Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei all uses banknotes with QEII portraits. Since I collect solid number, I have group all my QEII solid number banknotes into a tight small collection. Below is an artistic appreciation of QEII portrait banknotes. I have also started a specialized forum on Singapore and World solid number banknotes forum. Do join and have a good discussion on solid number banknotes collecting at http://notepassioncom.phpbbnow.com/index.php

Phew... I thought that pic was one single banknote.

Will check out the site, see.

I guess that one of the most interesting serial number banknotes from Macau should be the 1000 patacas from BNU with number AA88888, with date 8/8 1988. Of course it would have been best if the prefix also had reached HH.
The banknote was of course printed with the date 8/8 1988 on purpose, as 8 is considered a lucky number.
//Joakim

That will be a nice piece of solid 888888 having the first prefix AA and the date does make some terrible weightage on the note.

I collect unusual numbers such as repeaters and radar notes. All US currency! I also have a Barr note and a webb, a nice pair of bookends. I also go for the low serial numbers my lowest 00000333! And can't forget star notes but only when the numbers are low or unusual. Last but not least, old notes. I have a 1928a small size 100.00 bill, several from 1950, wartime, silver certificates and fractional currency from 1849.

Great Collection ! Nice to know a US collector specializing on fancy numbers. You should invest and collect US solid numbers banknotes. With strong US economy, they are great investment. You can join my brand new forum on solid numbers and fancy number listed earlier in this topic. Check out my personal collection website at www.notepassion.com

Not since last I checked.

the economy should be bouncing back very soon. Don't worry, be happy.

Very cool! I just checked it out! I'm still looking for one that has all of the same #! I'm close on 2 but I saved them anyways. #66666656 & 81111111. Plus with your favor in 5's I have a really cool radar note with the # 51555515. We always have a coin show twice a year in Charlotte,NC and a couple of years ago one of the dealers had a dollar bill with solid 7's! I wanted it soooooooo bad but he was asking over 250.00 I think. So I didn't get it! I still think about it to this day, I should of bought it. But my collection is just that. a collection, a hobby. I couldn't part with one single piece of my collection. I plan on passing it down to my youngest(mini-me). She's alredy a saver and she's six. I find her stashes all over the house. I bet if I put all her stashes of coins together she would have a couple hundred dollars. My oldest will get the family jewels! LOL

Thank you for your compliment. My website started this year in April. Still working on it during my spare time. My entire collection of world solid 555555 will be displayed in the website soon. I started seriously collecting in 1986 - 1987 on world coins and Singapore banknotes. At that time, I was freshed from my army ( The guys in Singapore need to complete 2.5 years of national service in the army ). It was an enjoyable hobby for me which I spend almost S$2000 each week to acquire both coins and banknotes. I did not know how I did it but did manage to buy and sell some of the coins and banknotes to further my collection. It was not an easy task doing the trading of these coins and banknotes then. Today, we have the ebay auction and a relatively good and effective way to sell our items to the world collectors. In 2004, I branched out to world solid number 555555 banknotes and that is still my current focus today for my expensive banknote hobby. I shall leave my solid number banknotes to either my son or my daughter. It will on their interest in this hobby.

You should have purchase the one dollar bill with the solid 7s. They are now worth very much more than US$250. It's a lucky jackpot 7s. Asian Chinese do not fancy so much on a number 7. Their lucky number is 8. Asian Chinese collector interpretation of 7 is dead people. Anyway, this is a just a belief. I see quite a lot of Asian collectors going for number 7 these days but not a number 4, because 4 sound like death.

It's an expensive hobby but luckily we can specialize according to our affordability and likings. Do share your thoughts and views on my new solid number and fancy numbers forum at http://notepassioncom.phpbbnow.com/index.php I will be adding a new section on low and fancy serial number in the forum.

cheers

Just created the heading for my Venezuela banknote section for my website.



cheers

Nice bit of imaging there! It looks very good

Nice note and layout.

Dave, Art - Thank you for the compliment. Still learning as I move on it. But there is always a copyright issue on those photos. Most of the copyright holders aim at commercial users. For own personal use, it is usually not a problem. For countries that I have visited, I will use my own personal photos. Below are some of the examples that I have created earlier. enjoy.

I recently read this from www.banknote.com. I find it very true. Here is the extract from the article on banknote collection which I did some changes to the sentences. The idea behind is still the same.

"The stricter your requirements for your collection, the less
notes you will likely to collect in your collection. Also, your collection will cost more.
At the same time, your collection will have a higher value. If you just start collecting
paper money, don't look for investment, just buy the notes you like and enjoy them.
Later on when you become a more advanced collector you will learn how to buy up
notes that are worth not only because of their beauty, but also because of their
investment value."

Just created this fun picture on super solid banknotes

That's really neat.

my favorite arabic numeral