Get to know a staff person
Although this is an old post (started in 2011) its an age old question for collectors of paper money: how to get the best notes possible?
It really helps to get to know someone at your bank, currency exchange, or wherever it is you go to get your notes. If you want UNC notes you have to ask: and even then- that doesn't guarantee you'll get 'em. I have asked for new notes (when ordering bricks) several times and I could still get circulated notes (maybe about 30% of the time) so you've got to be super patient and try to be as charming as possible. Bank tellers don't get your hobby (PERIOD). They don't understand your desire for the perfect note. They see a request for 1000 notes and they just try to fill it (the last thing they would consider is if the notes are new or not). Or: your pristine UNC notes are sitting there for you & another teller starts to poach your stack (use them up for other customer requests) or dump them into the ATM, etc. There are so many factors that can come into play.
The general protocol
1) get to know as many staff (tellers/manager) as you can. This will increase the odds of someone willing to help you out
2) give him/her fair warning (ask at least a few days in advance).
3) I have found it useful to be transparent (explain its your hobby! You're not laundering money LOL)
4) trade cash for the notes (don't withdraw the amount) & be ready to count the cash in a separate area. If the staff is new to this- suggest this in a friendly way.
5) be prepared with gym bag or some such container to conceal your stash (so you don't draw attention to yourself)
6) don't get uptight if they can't deliver (make it another convenient date/ie not a Friday or busy time)
Now I have not mentioned ways to obtain small amounts of UNC notes because this can be even more challenging since most small amounts are arbitrary withdrawals (coming out of cash-dispensing machines). Even when the teller goes to a central teller who controls the cash- he/she may have to dole out the money in a sequential (tracked) way and cannot just give out nice UNC notes (b/c you want them). So I consider this endeavour far more challenging.
