UNC or not?

[Dave]

I had been talking with my brother as he was going through my collection at home. He said that he understood why I collected most of my notes in UNC condition, but that if he were to have a collection, he would like to have one with circulated notes. He said that he felt that the circulated notes carried the personal history of their use and that they had some sort of further mystery when we could wonder who had the note, what it was spent on, and how – out of all the places it could have wound up – it came into my collection.

 

I explained to him that though I agree about the history a used note could bring with it, that I collected them to a great degree for their artwork. I showed him a Chinese note that was pretty much a rag with minimum details and then one in UNC where the details popped out and you could appreciate the note for its beauty. Again, my brother said that even so, his personal preference would be on the circulated notes, though perhaps not quite as circulated to be considered a ‘rag’. He said that the rag I had showed him was spent by who knows how many persons in China over the years.

 

A romantic view of a money collection to be sure. And while I do agree with my brother that the circulated notes have a ‘sense’ of history greater than UNC notes, and I do get an almost psychometric sense of its history (or an active imagination of what it’s been through), I still have to go for the notes in the best condition I can get them in, whether based on availability, cost or both. I get a greater benefit from the appreciation of the notes’ design to its fullest (artwork), and there’s also the better investment opportunity for certain notes over time, though this is a minor aspect. For either one, you get a piece of something from another place in the world. The detriments are that they cost more to procure, have no deep ‘personal history’ (in fact some notes, especially those that are have been printed out of country may never have been to the issuing country as I understand it), and availability. I could have placed together many sets of circulated notes, but have chosen the probably typical path of going for UNC notes instead.

 

Which, at great length, leads me to this query: What would you rather have in your collection – Circulated to some degree or UNC? And why you prefer them that way? Do you get some special feel of their history when you know they have been spent across a shop counter (or perhaps some black market deal)?

[Brett]

I also prefer UNC to circulated. I like to be able to see the fine details of the artwork of which the banknote is. The bright colors when there new.

 

Ofcourse all this is dependant on how old the note is and whether it can be affordable to me in UNC. Alot of the very old notes (prior to 1900) are very difficult to find in UNC. And if you do find one of them the price is usually out of this world.

 

As far as the investment part of it. If the banknotes value rise, good for it. If they don't, it doesn't really matter to me. I'm not in it for profit. If I was I would become a dealer.

[ccg]

Personally I like EF notes. Unlike with coins, sometimes an EF note is really just a mishandled (ie. folded) UNC. They're alot cheaper than UNC, but usually still very nice.

 

Although I like circulated coins for the history, I don't appreciate banknotes in the same way. Perhaps this is because banknotes typically are of a higher value, and a limpy piece of paper just doesn't appeal to me as much as a worn out piece of copper.

[Corina]

Three things that i look at when buying banknotes

 

History

 

Price

 

Looks

 

 

Those three things have built me a collection that i'm happy with

[superbeast1098]

I like mine in UNC condition..... Mainly the newer releases...... Older banknotes, like the old German and Austrian notegeld are actually more attactive in circulated condition..... Atleast in my opinion..........

 

 

 

KFC

[Scottishmoney]

With a lot of what I collect, primarily 19th century Scottish, and early 20th century Scottish etc, the best you can get is a very rare EF.

[Jebat_Jr]

Banknotes.....I prefer UNC with earliest possible prefix number.........more thrilling........atleast I have a specialization what to look for.......

 

Coins.......earliest & highest grade is priority.........

[see323]

An uncirculated banknote would be the best piece in any collection. Unfortunately, if we are looking at rare and scarce piece, they usually do not exist as an UNC piece. An extremely fine grade would be a good piece for any rare collection.

 

Unfortunately, there are just too many washed and pressed banknotes which beginners have fallen for them thinking that they have an almost uncirculated banknote. Each and every piece of the banknote have a defined value. Over the years, they increase in value. Experience collector knows the value of banknotes.

The value of the banknote are largely affected by it's grade. Therefore, keeping banknotes in orignal uncirculated condition is the choice of most collectors whether you are an experience or a novice collector.

 

Another interesting thing about banknote collecting is. today you are a pure collector ( You don't sell any notes so far in your banknote collecting ). Tommorrow, you may become a hot banknote seller. The degree of selling may also determine whether you are a banknote dealer.

 

We should collect ORIGINAL uncirculated banknotes especially for the current circulated issues. As far as possible, original uncirculated condition will help to sell better and faster if one day, you find yourself becoming a seller. You never know due to financial status change due to unstable world economic situation.

[naidu54@hotmail.com]

I had been talking with my brother as he was going through my collection at home. He said that he understood why I collected most of my notes in UNC condition, but that if he were to have a collection, he would like to have one with circulated notes. He said that he felt that the circulated notes carried the personal history of their use and that they had some sort of further mystery when we could wonder who had the note, what it was spent on, and how – out of all the places it could have wound up – it came into my collection.

 

I explained to him that though I agree about the history a used note could bring with it, that I collected them to a great degree for their artwork. I showed him a Chinese note that was pretty much a rag with minimum details and then one in UNC where the details popped out and you could appreciate the note for its beauty. Again, my brother said that even so, his personal preference would be on the circulated notes, though perhaps not quite as circulated to be considered a ‘rag’.  He said that the rag I had showed him was spent by who knows how many persons in China over the years.

 

A romantic view of a money collection to be sure. And while I do agree with my brother that the circulated notes have a ‘sense’ of history greater than UNC notes, and I do get an almost psychometric sense of its history (or an active imagination of what it’s been through), I still have to go for the notes in the best condition I can get them in, whether based on availability, cost or both. I get a greater benefit from the appreciation of the notes’ design to its fullest (artwork), and there’s also the better investment opportunity for certain notes over time, though this is a minor aspect. For either one, you get a piece of something from another place in the world. The detriments are that they cost more to procure, have no deep ‘personal history’ (in fact some notes, especially those that are have been printed out of country may never have been to the issuing country as I understand it), and availability. I could have placed together many sets of circulated notes, but have chosen the probably typical path of going for UNC notes instead.

 

Which, at great length, leads me to this query: What would you rather have in your collection – Circulated to some degree or UNC? And why you prefer them that way? Do you get some special feel of their history when you know they have been spent across a shop counter (or perhaps some black market deal)?

 

In the begining when i started to collect papermoney..i just collect for the design, later on i look into for more feature as art work, culture of their country, history, archealogy, portrait, historical architecture, animals, colour combination.......and so on......so to have all this features into my collection, sometimes i have to go for all the kind of grading notes....doesn't matter if it's unc notes or circulated notes as long as it meets into my collection.