grade descriptions - Charlton

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Looks fine.

Where would a pressed but apparent GCU65 or CHCU63 fit in ?

6.  GEM UNC — GCU — GCU65     The note must not be processed or pressed.

 A pressed note can not be GCU65 it would have to be GCU63 and

Pressed, washed or chemically cleaned, and trimmed notes to be included in the list of defects to be disclosed as part of the grade, along with graffiti, foxing, signature perforations, glue and tape etc.

Looks good....

I really like the straight forward approach with "Demerit Points" so there is no room for Interpretation...

I am glad to see the Flaws in Journey Series notes have been addressed as well. 

A pressed note can not be GCU65 it would have to be GCU63 and

Is that right Bob ?

A pressed 65 is a charlton 63.
a pressed 63 is a charlton 60.

GCU63 states the note cannot be pressed    

Straighten that out please.

As I understand the descriptions, any pressed note could make no better than EF; all grades AU to Gem Unc contain the word "original", i.e. not pressed or otherwise processed.  (Is this too severe?)
I am not the author of the document; I was merely asked to post it here as a sort of trial balloon, or at least to get the bugs and inconsistencies worked out.

Just a simple question here.  What exactly is meant by pressed? Is it simply a note that was actually pressed to flatten it for some specific reason.  For example a note that was kept in a book for instance. Also what is the exact damage that pressing a note causes?

FRIEDSQUID

About pressed note, I submit you a kind of "though experiment".

Take 2 original gem UNC notes from the same bundle (or brick).  Choose them very carefully and take the best examples available.  No question that they are original UNC.  They are perfectly flat and lustrous.

Now you put one of them in a mylar pouch and left it laying horizontally flat in an album for, say 2 years.  The other one is simply left in a closed box (nothing else is in the box)  for the same period.

After the delay, you compare both notes.  One was under a flattening pressure, the other one, none.  Would you degrade the "flattened" one to EF simply because it was properly stored?  I think it's abusive.

What I want is to draw your attention to the fact that a note which was simply flattened during its storing has not the same "pressing" than a note which was "improved" by dampening it and letting it drying under pressure.  The first does no erase the smallest counting flick and leave the note with its original luster.  The second note may have its counting flick made less apparent, but it's mainly because the surface of the paper has lost its luster, so the small flick is harder to see...

Incidentally, in the case where simply put a note in a mylar flip and leave it in an album degrades it because it's declared "pressed", what you suggest to store a note whithout pressing it?

Just my humble opinion but what about just giving demerit points for processing. Say 4 or 5. Thus an apparent gem unc65 by appearance, would be an unc60 if doctored. unc63 = au58 , unc60 = au55.

One area I will address:
When it mentions "cutting cup" it must also mention "manufacturers indent" (or some words to get that across). 
CBN has cutting cup.
BABN has a"manufacturers indent" - it is verticle, just lower then center on the front of the notes, and about 1.5 inches to the right of center.  I have seen these on many brick new BABN notes dating al the way back to near the start of the Journey seried.  Less frequent than the cutting cup, but still a parallel.

H

One area I will address:
When it mentions "cutting cup" it must also mention "manufacturers indent" (or some words to get that across).
CBN has cutting cup.
BABN has a"manufacturers indent" - it is verticle, just lower then center on the front of the notes, and about 1.5 inches to the right of center.  I have seen these on many brick new BABN notes dating al the way back to near the start of the Journey seried.  Less frequent than the cutting cup, but still a parallel.

I agree, this must be addressed. I have also seen this MANY times as well. 

Good this seems to be more definitive for me so I'll print this out and tape this inside my Charleton. So what about Gem Unc 70? Will there be such an animal?

PD

Just pointing this out... A different beast I realize.

http://www.pcgscurrency.com/g_overview.html
(Next tabs are on vertical right)

Seems to me you need some kind of balance between Modern and pre 1954 issues. Good luck 

Just a simple question here.  What exactly is meant by pressed?

The description "pressed" has always implied to me that the note has been WASHED in water and then pressed (either between two sheets of porous paper or, worse still, ironed with a hot iron).

There are several different types of pressing:

(1) Merely putting the note in a book and loading 10 or so heavy books on top for a few days. I don't see any problem here as long as the note hasn't been previously washed.

(2) Ironing the note with a hot iron (without washing) between two sheets of white paper. This is very destructive as the paper tends to curl/ripple due to expansion/contraction effects and the ink tends to melt and lift off, often leaving a shiny appearance. Worse still is ironing the note by direct contact with the hot metal surface! A HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE PRACTICE!

(3) Washing in water followed by pressing in a book. A HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE PRACTICE!

(4) Washing in water followed by ironing between two sheets of white paper. A HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE PRACTICE!

I must admit that I did my fair share of well-intentioned washing, pressing and ironing when I was new to the hobby (in the early 1970's) but I soon realized that I had ruined some good notes. However, I gained a lot of valuable experience in the sense that I can now recognize very quickly whether a note has been washed and/or pressed or ironed! We live and learn ....

You answered to my question.  The pressing does inply a wetting (or a dampening) before pressing.  So the luster of the paper will be lost.

Just a remark:  the new 5s, with their coating on it, will be much harder to press since this varnish renders the note almost waterproof...

So is there a preferred method to store your notes.  Do you just pile them in little stacks hoping the pressure is not great enough to flatten them.  Do you stand them upright squeezed together because placing them loosely may cause them to slide and lay on a slant and cause some other unwanted effect.  The problem is you usually try to store your notes in the same place (ie a SDB and there is limited room.) Do you end up getting penalized points now because they are stored in an inappropriate way. I think I should give everything away.

Friedsquid