Hello CPMF,
I collect low serial number bank notes and know many other CPMF members do as well. We have a hard time finding matching low numbers - perhaps that’s part of the fun. Our success rate may be low because we feel reluctant to share our numbers with dealers. I appreciate that many collectors wish to keep their numbers private to avoid predatory bidding in auctions.
That got me thinking…
Is there another way? Could we try to do something new on CPMF?
I am offering to set up and maintain a low serial number registry for CPMF members. Two lists of low numbers would be required to identify wants and haves. CPMF’s Personal Messages (PM) could be used to send in wants and haves. Any registry match notification would also be done with a PM to keep it private.
The benefits are twofold. People hunting for certain numbers would not be sharing them with many collectors and sellers. Very few people would know when matches were made and only two people would know the agreed price.
This proposed registry will only be for Bank of Canada low serial numbers from #10 to #999. Collectors of single digit low numbers #1 to #9 are the big fish in our pond and I suspect they already know one another!
The registry would have two lists: WANT to buy/trade, HAVE to sell/trade. Of course a match would come from one entry on each list. In order to make this work the registry would need to have a few details in addition to the low serial number - issue, denomination, grade, and comments. An example of a WANT for the registry could be:
- CPMF Member “Wayne Gretzky”: WANT #99 notes. Issues: 1935, 1937, 1954 Devil, 1954 Modified, Multicolour, Birds, Journey, Frontier, Vertical. Denominations: all. Grades: AU or Unc. Comments: will trade for signed jerseys!
This registry idea will only be successful if collectors identify low serial number bank notes that they have to sell or trade. An example of a HAVE for the registry could be:
- CPMF Member “Just Bank Notes” has: BAX 0000513, $1 Multicolour replacement, BCS VF 30, “not for sale - only for trading”.
If a registry match occurred, a PM would be sent to both CPMF members identifying the low serial number, issue and denomination. Those members would take it from there as a private transaction. It would be up to them to negotiate a price – or better yet, a trade.
This registry would have a few guidelines:
1) The registry is only for Bank of Canada low serial number bank notes from 0000010 to 0000999 (yes, including machine readable 1979’s!)
2) WANT and HAVE shall be listed by a specific low serial number. A want request cannot be “any two digit low number” for example. A member’s list of wants would be kept to a reasonable number to avoid someone making several requests from 10 to 99!
3) If two or more WANTs identify the same low number, the WANT received at the earlier date/time would have first chance to make a deal. Alternatively: all matching requests go to HAVE at the same time? (This will need to be discussed and finalized before starting the registry.)
4) The registry would not be made public, given or sold to anyone (including other CPMF members, dealers, resellers, club, society, etc.).
5) The registry would be kept in a single file on a detachable memory stick.
6) Any request by a CPMF member to delete their registry data would be honoured. Delete means delete.
What do you think CPMF? Suggestions? Issues? Any modifications/other guidelines?
If you want to give it a try, let me know. If there is little or no interest by the end of 2021, I will let everyone know and delete the registry.
Cheers,
“Just Bank Notes”