The TRULY dissapearing Sawbucks! Post finds here!

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

Okay, this is designed to be a fun little thread, where we can post our finds from our days work of the tough to find OLD Journey $10s ONLY.  We all know they are going fast, and it is kind of exciting to see what can be salvaged.

For example,

Date: Sept 14, Edmonton.
Banks visited: NINE
Old Tens attained: LOTS

What I found:
BEL 2422080

BEK 9517645

BEP 6414039, BEP 0185911

BER 0529981 2003 My first one!

2004: BER 9106442, BER 8949514, BER 9157780, BER 9149781, BER 8906334

Now, next time you come home with a handful of these things, let us know how hard it was to get! How many places did you have to go to, what did you find?  
It is really easy, because most banks just cull them out and have them put aside already.

Yesterday at work I traded for BET0047519 after it was spent by the last customer of the night. It was the first BET I've ever found myself. Unfortunatly it's quite circulated and in no better than F condition.

Hey,

Yesterday at work, I salvaged BER9782460 (2004) in VG and FDY 2201375 in F+

It is true that the 2001 series is being rapidly withdrawn.  I'm lucky if I can get 5-10 notes in any condition and I go through thousands every day!

Dean.

Sept 20th.
Banks visited: 8
Old journey 10's viewed : just over 120
Tellers annoyed  - probably about 10
BEL 6035190, 7315189

BER 8869636, 8679360, 8883795, 9079985, 8870887, 8934668

BEP 0217876, 7731303

No BER 2003s though

Hi. I rescued three at work today:

BEP0269148 - A keeper, as it is Jenkins-Dodge

FDT0760026

FEF9415983

All notes are VF. Are they worth keeping?

Thanks,

Fenian

The BEP only. Others, spend.

Thanks. Two more for today:

BES7047864 , another Jenkins-Dodge in F+

FEJ8668227 in VF

They seem to be coming in droves for me...  have to hit the banks looking for BER notes  


Fenian

What you want to look for are the "lost" prefixes or the scarce ones, such as
BEL
BEP
BEK(2003)
BER (any year will do)
BET

Here is what I found today:
Banks: 4 (and one safeway- btw, bring new $10s for an exchange if they have alot, otherwise their float is diminished. If just a few, give them $20s or something)
# of old $10s: 90
BER 9059306,8935080,8868185,9111664,9182619
FEH (insert range) 9622506
BET 0311045

Of course all in not the best shape.  Don't know how a BET got this far west though

Found FDZ 9.02M (Knight-Thiessen) Yesterday

Got one in VF from a garage sale this morning Serial BEP8650084, Jenkins-Dodge. The really cool part? There is a small ink smudge error on the 4 in the left-hand serial number. My first (minor) error note. Woo Hoo!

Fenian

After a good 6-7 months of searching (less final exam times), and visiting upwards of 25 banks per day on "good" days, (and not every day of course), here is what the scoop seems to be in Edmonton:

Places where I could pick up 100 old $10s:  now have about 8
Places where I could pickup about 10 old $10s: now have about 1 or zero.

They look rougher and rougher and rougher each day that passes.

I manage to sift through about 100 to 250 per trip that I go on (and that means turning alot of money lol), but thenumbers have been dissapointing.  Virtually none of the lost prefixes.  None.  Edmonton was the bed for BER 2003, and the few of those that ever got out, well, I think the days of hoping to ever find one are history.  I guess it is a similar story for the other Lost prefixes, although to a lesser extent.  Every time I flip over a $10 I still have hope in what I might find.  But realisticly, they are pretty much gone (In Edmonton anyway)

Still check your change though.... similar experience: I found 3 1991 25c coins, latest one at a gas station in 1998.  There is a chance!

Huds,
I'm totally amazed at your September finds.  Wow... Edmonton must be a place where a lot of hoarding goes on.  I hear the same is true for the east coast.   I wish you could find as many old 10's here in Ontario, but your lucky if you find a new 10 in decent shape (VF or better).

I was searching all summer and into the fall and rarely saw as many lost prefixes as you've described (I know we've had this conversation before- but just wanted to post it).  Now I'm lucky to find 5 old $10's for every 1000 inspected.  Never any scarce prefix unless they're ripped or totally uncollectable.  

Now its hard to get $10's period.  At my branch (they all know me) they've become very difficult about me inspecting money.  They're always short of $10's (so they claim).  New 10's are wearing out fast too.

that's my 2 cents on this subject

James

It's weird, there are alot of LARGE branches that I go to, and they have no problem letting me get the old $10s (they have them culled aside anyway).  I have been really lucky like that (yes I am very thankful).   What I have found is that a very small number of branches do not allow them to come back out.    I know the circular went out to all banks, but maybe some forgot.  
All this searching in the name of research.    We all put alot of hours into it, it would be nice we all found some of the good ones too.  Good luck to you in your searches.  One day it wil happen....

All you really need is a friend that can find them:} Thanks Hudson


Scott

Lots of 2001 $10s are still around the Vancouver area.

Last week I took out ten $10s from the credit union, and got:

7 2005
2 2001
1 1989  :-?

so  these are not desirable
FEE,FEH,FEN,FEM,FEG,FEJ, FEK,FDW, BEJ, BEN, BES,BEM, FEL.  A lot of these are older then the BER.  Were they in short runs to make it so popular.

Polarbear

The BOC released the 2004's before the 2003's, and then as they started to release the 2003's, the good ol May 19th 2005 date came, and they could no longer be shipped out.  (Thus very few getting out).  That is why they are so tough to find!  (But not impossible!)


Lol thanks and your welcome, Scott

I concur with Hudson.... and you are lucky that Vancouver is so productive!

My experience in searching and finding original 10 Journeys:

2000 FDT - FDW Knight/Thiessen (on occassion) last summer (almost never now)

2001 FEA FEB FEC FED
I have found in quite a few when searching used bricks over the summer

2002 (Knight/Dodge) FEE, FEG, FEH, FEJ, FEK, FEL, FEM, BEK   (the most common signature) all represent majority of what was found, and are what continue to pop up very infrequently today.  These were released as late as 2004 (probably stock-piled).  And 2004 BES  

These bills are fairly common --only the missing circles, radars, or UNC sequentials worth keeping-- now in very rough shape as they don't hold up well to circulation.

2003 Jenkins/Dodge BEM, BEN on occassion (in the summer but rarely now). I suspect BEM was a short run.  The list says BEN is a full run but I find few these days.

2003 BEL (never found), BEK JD (rare- but very circulated and about 2 times in 6 searches), BEP (never here in Ontario)
BET (rare, but found in the summer)

Most 2003 in UNC should be keepers.

I have once or twice found a 2004 BER which was in such poor shape that I put it back (same with BEI)

So the most desirable?  any UNC FD_ Knight/Thiessen (the least common signature)- esp change-over FDZ (Knight/Dodge) or replacements (any condition)
2001 FEE (any condition)
2002 UNC (missing circles) and FEN (though they seem to be rather common on eBay)
BEI  replacements
2003 BER, BEL, BEK, BEP (any condition)
(note: I would consider these bills infinitely more collectable than the replacements of the above 2002 notes which seem so very common, and offered so often on eBay, in stores, and at shows)
2003 BEM (AU to UNC)
2004 BER/ BET (any condition. Again- these notes are just as important as any replacement)

In my humble opinion, all collectors should be securing examples of all of the above notes since the Journey series has performed so well in the market.  And so it should.  Its a revolutionary note (with its braille, its timely symbolism, its so-called security features that were so promptly forged by computer technology!).  It is a series with far more exciting "finds,"  annomalies if you compare it to its Birds predecessor.  The irregular way in which it was released (a few 2003 and 2004 BET being the last prefixes), the scarce yearly change-overs (FEE and BEK), and the signature yearly change-over insert (J/D BEK) as well as the mysterious 2003 BER which no one seems to be able to locate (but a lucky few).  And finally, the paper durability of these notes is of poorer quality than the Birds, making them wear out extremely fast.  This means that good (AU to UNC) examples of any note will be worth something, while just good examples of the super scarce 2003 BEL or BER are prime collectables.

James

Just inspected 1000 $10 Journey notes today and
ALL were new 2004  (issue of 2005) with very few BEY (2004) 3 BEY (2005) and 4 BEZ (2005)
Most notes were in poor condition (lots of tears, ink numbers, etc) on them.
I am beginning to think that the number of counterfeit were high in the GTA since the old Journeys seem to be so effectively culled.

However, did snag a keepable (VF) 2 digit radar BEU 8228228.  Other than that... a lot of work for small gains...

We were still getting brand new FEJ 2002's at my work up until February/March 2005. After that is was all BEN and BEM until the 2005 tens came out.

If you are getting bricks of BEM than I would be searching for the BEK insert which has been discovered in those bricks.   I'd be searching those old tens for any kind of special or unique serial # and holding onto the best.