Unknown prefix & Serial number - AHJ 2004

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Today I received AHJ2234098 74/56 in change. I tried to enter it in the SNDB. It was however rejected as "does not fall within known prefix and serial number ranges. The note has NOT been added to the database."

This note is over the AHJ 2004 High 2230530 Confirmed by BoC.  It apprears here the BoC confirmation is not too accurate or they were provided with incorrect information from CBN. 

I cannot make a scan of the note at this time but will post a pic of the note in the weekend if necessary.

Please email a high-res scan of the serial number area including the clearly-readable PRINTED IN date to sndb@cdnpapermoney.com.  If necessary, I'll update the SNDB and/or get in touch with the Bank. Thanks.

Based on my research, 2004-dated AHJ notes should have been printed up to 2235999.  There's no logical reason why the Bank of Canada would have truncated the last ream of that prefix and ended it early at 2230530.  I think they're feeding us mushrooms.

Here is the specific note in question that Kobecurrency obtained.  He brought the $50 note to me as his scanner is not working at this time.  I have seen this note first-hand (this morning) and I can authenticate that it is genuine.  The BoC has some questions to answer, otherwise the serial numbers they provide to us will be second guessed. 

Any questions, please contact me as the note is currently in my care for the time being. 

Here are two photos of the note in question (back side and front side):

{http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4296/dsc000081g.jpg:http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4296/dsc000081g.th.jpg} {http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2162/dsc000091.jpg:http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2162/dsc000091.th.jpg}

[edit]Images changed to thumbnails --BWJM[/edit]

I am pursuing the matter with the Bank of Canada and will update the forums when I have something. Thank you for the photo.

For the time being, I have adjusted the SNDB so that it will accept notes in that "gap" between the still-official changeover numbers. It is tentatively marked as printed in 2005 even though I know that will be wrong. It's just temporary until we get to the bottom of this issue. I expect that mmars will be proven correct and that the 2004 high will be raised up.

I have received a response back from the Bank of Canada.

In short, it seems that the Bank of Canada provides both a "last serial number" and a range of serial numbers that extend beyond that in case extra notes are needed to be printed to make up for damaged notes.

In the case of AHJ, the Bank advised that the "last serial number" was AHJ 2230500, but that serial numbers up to AHJ 2280999 were allowed for use. The printer has recently confirmed that they did print up to this point.

I have updated the ranges in the SNDB with this new information. Collectors can expect updates to also appear in the CPMS Newsletter for March 2011, and in the upcoming GPM Catalogue.

Revised Changeover Details:
- Last $50 note from BAI marked PRINTED IN 2004: AHJ 2280999
- First $50 note from BAI marked PRINTED IN 2006: AHJ 2281000

This is another prime example of the value of the Serial Number Database and why it is so important to enter all notes, not just brand new ones.

Thank you kobecurrency for reporting your find and providing an image of the note. Without this information, we may never have been able to confirm the correct details regarding this changeover.

(Other publications or authors wishing to report on this revised changeover are free to do so, but must cite as their source the Bank of Canada via Brent W.J. Mackie, CPMS LM 99).

BWJM,
Would you b able to post the actual correspondence you received from the Bank of Canada?  I don't fully understand what they told you or their reasoning behind what they are reporting to us.
M

That's basically it... I just changed a bunch of "we"s into "the Bank", etc.

My understanding is that the Bank says "we want this many notes, and that should get you up to AAA 0000000, but in case you have printing issues, you can use serial numbers up to AAA 0000000."

OK, well, I will read it a few more times and see if I can extract a full understanding.

In the end, though, it may not matter what information they give us because, as BWJM quite correctly pointed out, the SNDB will provide answers.  The database is the collector's trump card over what other sources would have us believe.  Had nobody ever found a 2004-dated $50 note above AHJ 2230530, that would effectively be the end of the printing date and we would be none the smarter, even if the Bank of Canada later claimed they printed notes up to AHJ 2280999.  Without data, there's no proof of anything.  As I point out in previous online article (which is slated for publication in the March CPMS Newsletter (I think) ), there are gaps in some prefixes where no notes are recorded.  Part of that is due to the information in the SNDB not being fully mature, and part of that is probably some genuine holes in numbering, and even entire reams of notes that never made it to circulation for reasons we will likely never know.