see323 Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Before I started using Ebay to buy and sell banknotes, I never know that people actually sell these hell or heaven notes. In fact, I was surprised to find that it became a collector's item especially in the West. A few weeks ago, when I was surfing the internet, I noticed somewhere ( cannot remember where, maybe inside IBNS ), they have a chairman or person-in-charge of these hell notes. It became a group or community who have a common interest in collecting these notes. When I was very young, a close friend and neighbour's family business deal and manufacture items for the dead. Most of these are paper related items such as hell notes, joss sticks, interesting paper items such as huge houses, cars ( most of the time, they feature Mercedes because during that time, in this part of the world, Mercedes are prestige cars driven by the rich ). They even make paper Rolex watches, clothings etc. These paper items including the the hell notes are burnable an offerings for the dead. Basically, this are specifically for Taoism religion. Buddism do uses some of the paper items for burning as well. They believe that by burn these paper items for the dead, they will be able to receive them whether in hell or heaven. Back to the topic on hell or heaven note. Why do you think people collect them ? The Chinese collectors do not collect them because of supertitious belief. Do you collect them and why ? Let's discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I have one note that I got from Rodney. I don't collect them but I do find them interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I saw lots of these in Chinese owned stores when I was young. I think originally here they intended them for the purpose they were originally created for, but westerners started buying them out of curiousity factor and a new business was born. When I bought things in the stores, I tended to go for the neat toys, and the old cast cash coins and small Hong Kong paper money. The hell or whatever notes never had any appeal, and still don't. I did see something resembling them, but created for the domestic market when I was in China last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
see323 Posted February 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Thanks for your opinion and comments. That's what I like to hear from the collectors from the West. My worries is that some people may get the wrong impression on the note ( take for example someone sell a nice looking China solid number 888888 ). When you look carefully at the note, it is a hell or heaven note. It may be cheap but it is worthless. A stack of them does not cost much. I have never bought them before. In fact, we may even get them for free since people are burning them away. Unburned ones may fly around due to strong wind ( nothing to do with the spirits around the burning sessions ) . Imagine selling one piece at US$5 to US$10. That's a good business venture. Buy low Sell high ! Instant profit. If you possess about 2% knowledge of photoshop software plus a nice good colour printer, you can even create USA version of hell or heaven notes with familiar features. You also get to choose the serial number and prefix of your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 If I were to create hell notes, I can think of a few choice people to put on them, ones that belong.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Anyone have a pic of one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostDutchman Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 from what i understand here is the story of those notes... people in china believe that every 8th day (i think) of every month that the gates of heaven and hell open up and the spirits walk the streets.... to make them happy and appease them and to have good luck you leave offerings of heaven and hell banknotes along with food and other offerings on the doorstep...this is the story I heard involving these notes might or might not be right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuldFartte Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Anyone have a pic of one? I'd like to see an example, too. I've never heard of these before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I'd like to see an example, too. I've never heard of these before. I have quite a few. I got some off EBAY a while ago for about five dollars for a whole assortment. I must have about 40 or so. I will try to get a photo of the collection tonight and post in this forum. I have some that are small and some that are almost 11 inches long by about 5 inches wide. They are a neat curiosity of a culture and belief system that is very interesting. The majority of them are printed on an almost tissue thin paper, but there are some with a heavier paper, especially the larger ones. The denominations are also extreemely large, and with the serial number on them almost always being solid 88888's. As a colloctor of world banknotes, one of the things I look for in the notes is a bit of the culture to show through. These foot the bill, (excuse the pun) even though they are not truly 'banknotes'. I have seen them on EBAY lately, and some are going for way too much because, as See323 stated, their worth is about equivalent to a roll of printed toilet paper. The most interesting ones are the ones with recent political figures on them such as Kennedy, Bush, Mao, krushkev, etc. I haven't any of these types but they are readily available if you want to get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 This note actually belongs to Rodney. I'm sure he won't mind my using it as an example here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuldFartte Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 A Hell note short snorter ... Way Cool !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drusus Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 never heard of these...very interesting...and now I want one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Well, my so-called Easy-Share One Touch Docking system doesn't want to recognize my camera anymore, but my other computer has a card reader, so I finally got around to getting some pics of Heaven/Hell Notes. Here are some of my notes - they are a decent example of the types that are available. And - - For those who want one, go to the Contests and Giveaways Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
see323 Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Well, my so-called Easy-Share One Touch Docking system doesn't want to recognize my camera anymore, but my other computer has a card reader, so I finally got around to getting some pics of Heaven/Hell Notes. Here are some of my notes - they are a decent example of the types that are available. And - - For those who want one, go to the Contests and Giveaways Thread! A colourful way of spending money in heaven or in hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I've always found the ones modelled after actual notes to be interesting. This is the first time I've seen 1980s-series RMB or early 90s HKD notes used as a design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
see323 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Does the hell / heaven notes print the country of issue, year etc ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 No. After all, they aren't actually issued on earth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
see323 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 No. After all, they aren't actually issued on earth! They are issued on earth by various countries but for use in another dimension on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 You guys can go and have your hell notes, I prefer "heavenly" things like lovely ladies on banknotes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 O.K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drusus Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 now thats my kinda hell okay...I went down to the Super Asia mart here in houston...we have a very big asian community and I remember seeing a section for incense and other ceremonial stuff so just outta curiosity I checked it out (I am married to an asian woman and we go there here and there anyway) I found several different kinds of these...none of the nice colorful ones posted here but here they are....(You can get like 50 in a pack) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinnotes Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 There are not many serious collectors of hell notes - I am. I have been collecting hell notes for about 50 years... I have many many thousands of them, I even issued a three volume catalog (now out of print) some years ago. Modern hell notes cost practically nothing, any time I go to China or to a South East Asian country like Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, I can usually find about 250 different types that were not present a year before my visit... I use to visit the printing firms of such notes and get from them uncut sheets. I also collect printing plates (formerly made from wood) of hell notes. More difficult to find are the old hell notes, from the times after the Xinhai revolution in 1911 to the end of WWII. But they still can be found... If there is any member here who collects hell notes I would only be too glad to swap such notes. I also sell hell notes, but only in lots of 500 or 1000 different ones. I do not sell single notes or sets on ebay, because the "profit" is not worthwhile. I do not have that much time... Erwin PS. Somebody in this thread said that hell notes are note dated. Well, mostly they are not, but many notes bear a date, either as "2010" or as ...th year of the republic, and some are cyclically dated. Some have a fictive date... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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