Anyone Collect US Paper Money?

One of the most beautiful things I like about older stamps is the engraving. Recently, my attention was called to the engraving found on U.S. paper money and in many ways it is just as beautiful (IMHO).

So I was curious. How many out there also have paper money collections? If you have one, what is the scope of your collection? (i.e. a particular denomination or year?)

I have seen stamp and coin themes combined; however, I am unaware of any stamp and paper money issued collector folders. If there have been some issued please post a pic.

I'm specializing in Rare Banknotes pre-1960's from certain countries (Egypt, Greece, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Yugoslavia & Silver Certificates) which depict Mythical Gods, Factitious Characters, Statues or Sculptures.

At the time being, I'm doing a research on the depicted allegoricals & what they represent.

I even collect "old" pages taken out from old books/magazines/newspaper which illustrate such allegoricals for demonstration & comparison purposes.















Cheers

Cheers

Cheers

Yes, there certainly is some beautiful engraving on older US Paper Money. Here are a couple of items I sold earlier this year.

These are both Series of 1899

James,

Wow, those are beautiful! Very impressive. I really like the silver certificate and the Egyptian one pound note. I ordered a couple books yesterday that I'm waiting on to learn more first, but I'm considering starting a collection of silver certificates. Thanks for posting pics of some of your notes. Very nice indeed.

I collect US currency on a very modest basis, namely because I can't afford to tie up a great deal of money into it, typically stamps are a much more affordable hobby.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the intricate detail and beautiful engravings that much of the older paper currency has to offer (stamps, too, for that matter).

Some years ago I used to collect Bureau of Engraving and Printing Souvenir Cards for Numismatic and/or Paper Money Shows. Contained therein were "facsimiles" of otherwise unaffordable currency engravings and stamp designs for an investment of only a few dollars. Here's one example. Not worth much monetarily, but I can still enjoy the engravings without having to go put a lot of money out to do it:

stallzer,

I was just looking at a similar $2 silver certificate, though not nearly as nice as the one you posted a picture of. Both notes you posted are beautiful! Do you still collect older notes?

Thanks for posting!

wt1,

Yes, stamps certainly are a little easier on the wallet generally. If I do start a paper currency collection it will also be a modest one!

For most of my life I was never much into art, but since collecting stamps and learning to appreciate and admire the beautiful engravings I'm hooked.

Thanks for the reply.

No, I do not collect Banknotes which is why I parted ways with them. While digging through an attic I found these and a few others. They are both circulated but were in pristine condition except for they were held together by a paper clip (Lower LHS) you can see the outline of the paper clip and it also had rusted leaving a small stain on the Porthole Note ($2) They still sold for a nice premium as you won't find many circulated 100+ year old notes in condition like these.

I don't collect but usually spend US paper money when I visit the States.

If that debt ceiling doesn't get raised the poor Green backs are going to suffer greatly. I wonder if a decreased US dollar would have much effect on numistimatic value on paper currency.

Don't collect them, but have accumulated a few along the way.
Found this 1934 $20 in my pocket during a trip to Washington in the late '80s. There was also a couple from 1950 and of course some new ones. It was interesting to put the 1934, 1950 and 1988 side by side and watch the trees grow around the White House - on the bills, not in front of me.

@ wt1, way back I also ordered some of those Souvenir Cards from
the BEP mainly because I love those stunning engravings.
They were only a couple of bucks each and IIRC postage was free even
shipped to Canada.

Here is my favourite.

That is the 3rd and last of the 1899 series, IIRC. They were issued $1, $2, & $5, as previously mentioned the 2 above ($1 & $2 ) are of the same 1899 series.

I have a few U.S. banknotes. My favourite is this star note...



Steve