Solid radar collection

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

I have 22 solid radars that my father and I collected over the last 30 years.  I have them all protected now, but for many years they simply sat in a box we both added to occasionally.  Recently I picked up a copy of Canadian Government Paper Money, 26th Edition, and was a bit shocked to see the suggested prices.  My father and I always collected for fun, not for any investment reasons.  I am now considering putting all of these bills in a safety deposit box.  My question here would be, how accurate are the suggested prices and what is the demand for these type of notes?  Any and all comments and or suggestions would be welcome.  Thanks.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I agree that you should get those notes into a safety deposit box because they can be valuable.

The Charlton Catalogue is considered the go-to reference in the hobby.  It is a snapshot of the market at that time.  That being said, the market rises and falls just like the stocks so an item in high demand one year might be less desirable the next.  The old saying still holds true:  "An item is only worth what one is willing to pay for it."

There is a demand for your notes however there are a few considerations when determining value:

1.  Grade:  Read the descriptions of the grading system in the catalogue.  Familiarize yourself with the language of grading.

2.  If you still need assistance, I suggest you attend a numismatic show in your area and ask for advice from local paper money dealers.  Make sure that they are members of the local professional body as they are bound by a code of ethics.(CAND, RCNA, ONA etc...)

2.  You could pay a 3rd party grading company to assess your notes.  They will put your notes into protective holders (slabs).  Sometimes they will offer a discount if you submit multiple notes.

3.  Once you have a grade on the notes, look into insurance coverage for collections (especially if you have a substantial collection).

Judging by your photo, you have an impressive collection...The solid 8 serial number is especially popular with Chinese people as they consider it a sign of good fortune.

Hope this helps,
Dean

BCS (Banknote Certification Service) is running a special until the end of August for $7 per note + shipping with minimum 10 notes:

http://www.banknotecertification.com/2013_summerspecial.php

As for value- a BCS UNC 62 note, a 1954 $1 5555555 just went at the RCNA auction for $475 + $85 dollar premium. That being said, certain prefixes and numbers can affect the value.

Your pictured note, the 1954 $2, has a very sought after solid- 8888888 as Asian culture holds 8 to be a very lucky number so these notes can go for a premium - especially if sold near the Chinese New Year for a New Years money gift.

And go for the safe deposit box, and use a bit of silica gel to make sure the notes don't get too humid and grow mold.

Good luck, and that is a nice collection.

The time to sell solid numbered notes was a couple of years ago when the market for them peaked.  Usually after a peak is the worst time to sell.  Having said that, if any of your notes could achieve a grade of 65 or better, you can still get a good price for them as the paper money hobby is going down the same road as the coin collecting hobby, i.e., the only notes worth having will be a select few in top grade.  Everything else will slide downhill over time.

Thanks for the helpful information.  I am going to follow your advice regarding the safety deposit box and I want have all the notes graded and sealed, but I am somewhat leery of shipping them all by mail (I do no live in North America now).  All of the bills are in acid free plastic slips that are in in three sheet plastic holders within a binder, now.  I will also add a package of silica gel, as suggested. 

I am not overly concerned with the value, other than for insurance and security reasons.  I love collecting paper money as a hobby and intend to continue building on my collection.  As such, I suppose, that puts my more in a buyer position rather than a seller, but I would be willing to trade should a mutually beneficial opportunity present itself.

For example I have solid one dollar notes from the 1973 series in 1111111 through 9999999 (with two sets of 8888888).  I also have a couple of 1972 series $5 dollar 6666666's, a 1971 $10 with 7777777, and a 1969 $20 with 5555555, and, three 1954 $2 notes (one shown above) with 5555555, 6666666, and 8888888.  From here I am not sure what direction I want to go.  I would like to complete the $2 series, so I may consider trading the $5's, $10, and $20, to do this.  But, I assume it will take some time. 

Also, it should be noted that the bills are all in extremely good condition (based on the Carlton catalog guide I would say 65 and above) as none of them, with the exception of the three 1954 $2 notes have been in circulation.  Unfortunately, those three twos were pinned to my father's office cork-board for several years and suffered because of that.  But, all came straight from the Bank of Canada.

Where would anyone suggest I start connecting with fellow solid radar collectors? 

Thanks in advance.

Where would anyone suggest I start connecting with fellow solid radar collectors?

I would suggest starting on this forum for starters 

(based on the Carlton catalog guide I would say 65 and above)

When did the "Carlton" guide start using a numbered grading system? 

There are a few of us on these forums that collect solid serials.

There are a few of us on these forums that collect solid serials.

When did the "Carlton" guide start using a numbered grading system? 

Sorry, yes it was the Charlton Catalogue that I intended, but mis-typed.  And, I realize that they use a looser categorization system, which I am trying to familiarize myself with.  The numbered system, on the other hand, correct me if I am mistaken, is primarily (exclusively?) used by third party graders such as PMG and BCS.  I am also attempting to understand these, too.

The time to sell solid numbered notes was a couple of years ago when the market for them peaked.  Usually after a peak is the worst time to sell.  Having said that, if any of your notes could achieve a grade of 65 or better, you can still get a good price for them as the paper money hobby is going down the same road as the coin collecting hobby, i.e., the only notes worth having will be a select few in top grade.  Everything else will slide downhill over time.

On a positive note, pardon the pun, that seems to indicate that this would be a good time to collect solid numbered notes, no?  I have been checking ebay and few examples exist.  Some dealers list solids that they have in stock, but these seem over priced.  Do paper money dealers negotiate prices, or are they, as a rule, fairly inflexible when it comes to offered prices?

Oh, and just out of curiosity, are their any advantages, and or disadvantages, to sharing / inputing serial numbers to databases?

Oh, and just out of curiosity, are their any advantages, and or disadvantages, to sharing / inputing serial numbers to databases?

I don't see any disadvantage in entering serial numbers into the database.
The information can be used for research and can provide collectors with information
that is not found anywhere else.

On a positive note, pardon the pun, that seems to indicate that this would be a good time to collect solid numbered notes, no?

Well, if we were talking about virtually any other kind of note that had just experienced a peak, I would say most certainly yes.  It could take years of stagnant interest in these notes before sellers decide to give in and reduce prices.  As long as prices are not rising and you keep hearing people tell you they are good investment, then you know the market for them is going nowhere.   

I have been checking ebay...

Noooooooooo-o-o-o-o....! 

and few examples exist.

Really?  I see plenty, though I don't bother to keep track if it's the same notes listed over and over and over again.  Major auctions are always rife with these notes.

Some dealers list solids that they have in stock, but these seem over priced.  Do paper money dealers negotiate prices, or are they, as a rule, fairly inflexible when it comes to offered prices?

They don't seem overpriced... they are overpriced.  Sellers that want to make sales are counting on collectors to make them offers.  Because solid numbered notes are such a niche market, sellers know they have these collectors dialed in, so there is no need to be competitive.  It's kind of like retail gasoline sales. 

Anyone selling solid numbered notes at discounted prices is not going to have notes for long.  It's usually dealers doing the buying too.