I was doing a job in a client's office today and they were doing an audit of their safe, pulling out all the cash and counting it. I happened to look over as someone was bending down to pull the stuff at the bottom out and noticed a pile of pink notes sticking out of a box. I asked if I could have a look and saw that it was part of a bundle and all the notes looked pretty new, so I used my hours-old iPhone to check the serial numbers on the RBA website. OMG. 2003, Last prefix. I didn't have any idea what they were worth, but last prefixes are always worth something. I asked the manager if he needed them and if not, if could I swap him for them. Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. I explained that I sometimes collect coins and notes if they're interesting and that a part bundle of unused fivers could be worth something. Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. $149 worth of stuff in my wallet later (I bought the guys coffee to say thanks, they thought I was weird and we had a laugh) and I finish my job with 28 uncirculated old $5 notes in perfect sequential order carefully tucked into an envelope. I just pulled out Rennicks to have a look and... $35 each ($980) if you were to buy them from a dealer. Despite the rest of the day being complete crap, I'm still a pretty happy chappy.
I happened to look over as someone was bending down........... If I do that I get into trouble What will you do with the notes? Can you name them as a "new hoard"? Give them a history with a bit of colour? Owner of the safe was a Mafia Don? Photos? I happened to look over as someone was bending down to pull the stuff at the bottom out and noticed a pile of pink ??????? sticking out of a box.
I'm kinda thinking about that, but I might just chuck them in the back of my safe and forget about them for a while. I'm not really into banknotes - I can appreciate the design and the artwork and the effort involved in the printing process, but generally I'm happy only knowing enough to spot a bargain. I picked up a pair of UNC $50s few months ago on eBay worth about $800 for $2.50 over face each + postage and that kind of occasional splurge is my chuck-it-in-the-safe-and-forget-about-it investment. Apparently the banknote market is a bit soft at the moment, so I'll pull them out in five or ten years and see what they're worth then.
UNC $50 Banknotes............. Had a run of 5 of first year of issue. 1995 Paid a bit above face value a few years ago. Got rid of them for face value last year @ got a 10oz bar of Silver for $250. have dealt with "OLD" notes. Ten pounds (UNC) etc. To many suss dealers & washing & ironing etc. That lead me to PM's. Will look forward to next "BIG" thing..........
I happened to look over as someone was bending down........... Haha, id have missed it there... Congratulations, equity plays with precious metals and numismatics when profitfully realised taste like nectar.
Nice score I try to do the same but not that type of luck WOW ? I have a lot of first and last prefixes also, but like you set and forget. If you ever want to move one drop me a line, I don't have that one yet
Sorry, missed your post. The prefixes on Australian bank notes begin with two letters (e.g. AC) and two numbers (e.g. 07) with the numbers indicating the year they were made (07 = 2007). After the prefix comes the serial number which goes from 999999 all the way down to 000001, however once they start printing the last prefix, they generally don't manage to get all the way down to 000001 before the end of the year. This means the serial numbers in the last prefix, say it's "AC" might run from 999999 to only 899999. That means instead of nearly a million notes printed with a "regular" prefix, there are only ~100k in the last prefix so they're 10 times rarer. Since $5 notes last about 18-22 months in circulation, after about two or three years any prefix essentially disappears off the face of the earth. A prefix that is ten times rarer to begin with has Buckley's chance of turning up in your change after a rather short time. The RBA also don't announce what the year's last prefix is until the next year - after they've printed the notes and shipped them out to banks so they can be put into circulation, so you can't just rock up to the RBA and say you'd like a bundle of last prefix notes and put them aside. Getting hold of them is basically pot luck.
That is a nice find. If anyone in Sydney or Canberra is interested in picking up banknotes you can get them directly from the RBA. They only give out notes that have never been in circulation. Please note you may have to deal with an uber-bitch at the Sydney branch, who can't seem to tell the difference between uncirculated notes and circulated notes, and will question why you're taking up her precious time exchanging them. If you want to avoid this just make big cuts to all the notes you're planning to exchange before you go in. That way they are unfit and need to be pulled from circulation.
I could not do this. I would had offered a better deal to the original owner. If you know it is worth more and you are getting a bargain then... I bought a genset down in Sydney. Knew I was getting a bargain. Gave a few wee gems as a thank-you. Even though the seller did not know better at the time, the point is if/when they find out, the last thing I want is any begrudging. Fair weights and balances. Who am I kidding, exploiting the unfortunate is a wonderful thrill.
I just got 2 mint condition $5 notes with consecutive numbers on them. Woolworths self serve check out! Any idea of the value of a pair like this?
