Banknotes with a story...post yours here too!

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Hi,

I have always liked banknotes that tell a story or offer a snapshot into where it might have been.
Teller stamped notes offer this as do notes with handwriting on them.

Here is an example of a story book note; On May 23rd, 1950, somebody named Ralph and another person named Betty autographed this note.  Who were they? What were they thinking when they signed this note?  Are they still alive?

And yes, it’s an Osbourne Towers note!

Share your story book notes here!

This note was acquired at face value from the bank...
I wonder who owned the red Chevette?

I acquired this note today from a bank.
Somebody loved the Payolas...and got their autographs on this one dollar note! 

Here is a ratty old $2 note with someone’s initials on it...I wonder who Y.A. was?...
I like that the person wrote the date on the back.  The note provides a snapshot in time...

Somebody used this $1 note as a day planner...
I hope they didn’t forget to go to work on July 23rd 1988!

This note was signed “from Leon” on December 6th 1987.  It looks like it was glued to a page or in a frame.  I wonder why it was removed?

This is a short snorter from 1946-47 started by John H Tucker.
It is a tradition for people flying together or fighting together to sign a dollar bill as a bond of friendship.  Each person in the group has their note signed by everyone else and then carries it in their wallet.
The person then must, upon request from his friends at a social gathering, produce the note as proof of friendship.  If he fails to do so, then the forgetful one must buy a round of drinks for the group.
(A short snort is slang for a shot of spirits).

When I was about six, I found the right half of five 1973 $1 notes in my dad's desk drawer. I asked him about it and he said his friend had the other half of each note. Their plan was if either of them became strapped for cash and needs the other half, then the other would give them over. I thought that was a crazy plan even at that young age!

Here's a link to the Banknote Den which has many interesting articles (some with stories) about various world notes. 
http://banknoteden.com/articles.html
Here is an interesting article on the aboriginal art featured on the Canadian $20
http://banknoteden.com/TMFOM/Canada.html

God Save The Queen...

This replacement note has been ruined by a teller's stamp (as most collectors would think).
But to me, it represents a neat snapshot in time...This note passed through the hands of a bank teller on August 12th, 1980.

I often see banknotes that double as note paper...
Back in the day, a teller couldn’t find a piece of paper to write on, so he or she used a banknote!  Of course, this destroys all future numismatic value of said note...

Yes, I often see (even) today's polymer notes with #'s on them (not that they're as easy to write on as the rag/cloth banknotes.  They must have been somebody's addition/subtraction notepad.  Always makes me wonder what was bought/sold or discussed -with all those numbers on 'em.

Here are a couple of notes that lived hard lives.

The 1954 $1 is extensively worn but what makes it interesting is that it has a date written on it; 3-23-73 or March 23 1973 and it has a lot of wallet trauma.  Perhaps this note was somebody’s lucky dollar?  I also know that some people carry a dollar bill to represent their “last dollar” and it means that they will never be truly penniless.  There is also the tradition of giving a token amount of money with a new wallet.

The second 1954 $1 was used as note paper.  A teller must have counted out 78 notes in the pile and wrote it down.

The 1954 $2 has lived a very hard life; it is heavily soiled but I wonder how it survived being sent back…Maybe it too was somebody’s “lucky” money.

No stories to tell and just wanted to say I enjoy your posts and all the finds