Specimen $5 Journey Series in Ebay

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

Gentlemen:
           Mr. Duncan's reply states that specimen notes were "not intended for circulation,"  which is indeed true;  however, he fails to specify whether or not a specimen note is subject to confiscation.  That $5 has probably never "circulated,"  i.e. passed from hand to hand in ordinary business transactions, and it probably never will;  unless confiscated, it will most  likely sit in this or that private numismatic collection and will never ever be offered to the government for redemption.   I respectfully suggest that it might be worthwhile to use this example to try to elicit from Mr. Duncan a more specific statement of policy, i.e. that such specimen notes will NOT be subject to confiscation (unless, of course, it were for some reason  presented to the Bank for redemption).
                As most of you know, I  myself live in the US and I did own a few US Specimen notes at one time.  In this country there are quite a few Specimen notes held in this or that collection,  and  none of them has ever been confiscated by our Treasury Department.
                                              Bernard Schaaf

Correct me if I am wrong but that note DOES look circulated.... 

I think it has passed through a few hands! 

Correct me if I am wrong but that note DOES look circulated.... 

The seller does state that the note has been circulated

The Bill's Condition:
Although it's seemed to have been circulated a bit, the bill is still in very good to excellent condition.  Its four corners are still in sharp pointy tip, and the centre has no defined crease of hard press folding

I cannot see what all of the fuss is about as there are literally thousands of earlier Bank of Canada Specimen notes on the numismatic market (1935, 1937, 1954, 1967, Multicoloured and Birds issues) and none to my knowledge has ever been confiscated. Far from it, the Bank of Canada itself consigned these Specimen notes to public auction (Moore Numismatic Auctions, Toronto, 1999)!

The only difference in the present case is that the $5 Specimen note in question is a current issue note that may, conceivably, have a dubious provenance. However, I'm sure that in a few years time there will be plenty of the current-issue Specimen notes available on the market. It sometimes pays to be patient ....

In reading between the lines, I do not feel that the Bank of Canada has any intention of interfering with
the sale of the $5 specimen note on eBay.  I do however believe there will be an internal investigation as to
how this note made it ways into public hands.

The Bank of Canada may at some point, auction its surplus of Journey specimen notes, but I would suspect
that such an auction would attract considerable attention and very high sale prices.  I was at both the
1999 and 2000 Bank of Canada auctions in Toronto and neglected to capitalize on the opportunity to purchase
some unique notes.  If you were not one of the lucky few to have attended the 2000 Bank of Canada auction
you can get an excellent feel for the event from this first hand account:

http://www.allnationsstampandcoin.com/newsletters/news6.html

Excerpt from phone call.... (This morning at roughly 9:35 am Edmonton time)

Me: "One more question --  There is a Journey $5 specimen note on eBay right now..."
BoC: "Oh yeah...." (She was aware of the auction)
Me: "If I won that, would there be people in suits knocking at my door later to confiscate it?"
BoC: "No.  However, it can be hard to determine authenticity of a note from an Ebay picture sometimes."  (This was simply a cautionary sidenote she added)
Me: "Good, because I want it. It would look good in my collection.  Thank you very much for the help...."
BoC: "Boy you sure do sound [hot]...."
Me: "I'm coming out East in a few weeks and I am so Excited!"

End Partial Transcript.

Okay, I built a riddle into this:
ONE of the conversation lines did not occur.  But I am not telling  which one. 
 

Huds.....Having spoken with you several times on the phone, I can easily determine which conversation
line did not occur 

...Arthur

Ok huds

The riddle is solved.. 

When does the guys in the suits come and visit you.    Ha Ha

Looking forward to seeing you at CNA.

Cheers

Polarbear

Excerpt from phone call.... (This morning at roughly 9:35 am Edmonton time)


BoC: "No.  However, it can be hard to determine authenticity of a note from an Ebay picture sometimes."  (This was simply a cautionary sidenote she added)
Me: "Good, because I want it. It would look good in my collection.  Thank you very much for the help...."

 

I believe it is dis line dat did not happen mon. I believe to keep dis forum G rated.
I agree with X, dis note went into circulation accidentally. No intention was happening.

Tink happy tots, Dei Gratia

PD

K you got me.  lol   G rated coming up.

Even though I want it, (as a circulated rotator), I think that Ottawa might be right- it pays to be patient sometimes.

Who knows ?

Agreed.

It might be the only one available now but in due time LOTS of UNCIRCULATED ones (Most likely even COMPLETE sets) will be available.

I am VERY content in waiting for an Uncirculated Specimen set worth putting in a collection vs a Ratty Single Specimen because it is the only one around right now.

This is just my feeling! 

This was very subtle, but I know I'm the only one who really picked up on the real conversation. It was not a sentence, nor a word but only one added letter that was changed.

BoC: "Oh yeah...." (SHE was aware of the auction)............
BoC: "Boy you sure do sound sexy...."
Me: "I'm coming out East in a few weeks and I am so Excited!"

So what is my prize Hudson

Way to go Brent. Sure beats my paltry bid of $250. It'll go nice with the other three Specimens.

PD

Thank you. I was surprised I had no competition.

Got the note today. Sure is the real deal. :-)