OT: Old currency

[J Miller]

My wife came up with a 1934 Series $20.00 Federal Reserve Note.

It's in decent shape, been folded at one time, but one small tear.

What fascinated me is it's printed on a totally different paper than the modern stuff, feels different, and it's almost see through. Hold it to a light and you can really see what's on the other side.

She was going to deposit it and I said give it to me, it's interesting. She made me buy it from her .

My curiosity is weather or not there is any value other than just face value of this piece of currency. I know it's not a Silver Certificate, but as old as it is, well ..... anybody know anything about old money?

Joe

[dr walker]

Joe,
It is a neat old bill. I dont know much about old paper money, but in my experience it is worth $20. Occasionally I see people selling them for $10 or $15 more, but I never see anyone buying them unless they are in pristine condition. When I get old bills from customers or change I always put them away in my little safe, and occasionally I make a withdrawl and spend them.

[Tycer]

I've got a few older bills too. I think they're cool. Thanks for posting, I think I'll go look at them.

[slimster]

Joe, I have an old 1929 series 100 dollar bill that says "redeemable in gold" on it. I had it appraised recently and they told me that it wouldn't bring much over face value. A suggestion would be to list it on an online auction. Sometimes people will bid it up some if you advertise it as a keepsake birthday present for someone who was born in it's issue year.

[claybob86]

I wonder how many times that's been spent and what all it's bought. I guess when it was printed, you could've bought a lever action rifle with it!

[Ysabel Kid]

I saved a couple of the previous style bills and put them away for the kids. Just thought it would be neat for them to have and show their kids. I always save the bicentennial quarters when I run across them - used to happen all the time but a lot less now.

My wife would have made be buy it from her as well Joe!

[DixieBoy]

JMiller (and slimster too, with your Gold Certificate!) - I wouldn't part with it unti you you do some basic research. You can get some general ideas by searching online. By all means, anyone offering you peanuts for a Gold Certificate, slimster, is trying to get over on you. For you, jmiller, I'd still guess that you had something of value there, definitely worth more than the face value.

I'm not knowledgeable about paper currency. Mostly I'm interested in coins, and I'm no expert there either. For coins, the starting place is a book that the coin dealers call "Krauses." I'll bet that there is a Krasue's for paper currency too. There are a few websites devoted to coins; I'll bet that the same exists for paper currency too. Be honest with yourself about the condition of the bills, but by no means would I let some fast operator tell you that you've got nothing special, and then offer you a pittance for something which might hold much more value.

Good luck to both you guys. - DixieBoy

[GANJIRO]

Just a couple days ago I was looking thru some of my dad's papers and found a silver certificate dollar with a little post-it with my kid sis' name on it so I'm going to frame it and send it to her with a note that it's from Dad.

[adirondakjack]

Joe, I agree old money FEELS different, and the inks were different, (I collect 1935 bills, just a quirky thing), but the paper (which really is more cloth than paper) is made from exactly the same formula, in exactly the same mill (I think it's in MA) as it has been for over 100 years. It's 100% denim rag. What changes over time is the sizing that makes a new bill crisp deteriorates from repeated absorption and loss of moisture as humidity changes.

[J Miller]

DixieBoy,
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not actively seeking to sell that bill, but I was just curious about it's possible value. Next time I get to the library or have some extra time to do an internet search I'll look for a "Krauses." Maybe I'll learn something.
We snag any and all silver coins too. Just do not see them any more. Too bad too, I remember real money. I was 12 when the traitors in DC switched from silver coins to the clad junk. I think I began loosing faith in my government then.
Clad coins just have no value.

Ganjiro,
I've got several real Silver Certificate dollars and one five dollar bills. I grab them when ever I see them. So does my wife.
We've even got a bunch of the first year reintroduction two dollar bills with the stamps on them. They aren't worth anything, but they are different.

Joe, I agree old money FEELS different, and the inks were different, (I collect 1935 bills, just a quirky thing), but the paper (which really is more cloth than paper) is made from exactly the same formula, in exactly the same mill (I think it's in MA) as it has been for over 100 years. It's 100% denim rag. What changes over time is the sizing that makes a new bill crisp deteriorates from repeated absorption and loss of moisture as humidity changes.

That's something I didn't know. It's been a very long time since I've handled a really old piece of currency so the difference in feel between this one and the new ones is very different. I just assumed they'd made changes in the material.
Thanks for the information. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I've put it in a safe place for now. ( Not my wallet, that's for sure. )

Joe

[kimwcook]

I visited President Andrew Jackson's house just outside of Nasville, TN, this last year. I picked up a three cent nickel made in 1865. They only made them for, I think, three years. It was because there was a lot of coin hoarding going on at that time.

[airedaleman]

Crane & Co. in Dalton, Mass (just off Rt 2 in the north central part of the state - a really pretty area) has been making the currency paper since 1879. They have a fairly interesting website...www.crane.com

[marlinman93]

My wife got 22 one dollar silver certificates when she used to check at a grocery store. She thought they were neat so we've kept them for the last 35 years. We checked years ago to see what they were worth, and were told not much over face value. Still we hang onto them, but not sure why?