High Notes

A journal by Fenntucky Mike

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Entries in this journal

Ukrainian Banknotes

Who's BAD? (Me?)

Ok, time to fess up. A month or so ago a Ukrainian banknote went up for auction but not just any note a P 125! A note I've been pining over for the last few years and a note whose acquisition has been proving most difficult, so much so that I will have another journal entry about in the near future. A NOTE THAT......OH WAIT A mechanical error. A mislabeled note, the seller had it described as such, interesting.  Now, being the narcissistic panophobic conspiracy theorist that I am, my first t
Ukrainian Banknotes

Under the (UV)light / You see a sight that almost stops your heart. Part 3

Uh oh... The new UV lights arrived earlier this week, I ordered both through Amazon, one a fluorescent UV light from Banknote World the other a LED UV flashlight. Both seem to be of good quality and I would have no problem recommending either one of them, depending on what you are using them for. Buuuut, we're talking banknotes here and one is better than the other, which will bring the question of "whether or not the label for anP82b in PMG holder is accurate" to a close. For reference, I
Ukrainian Banknotes

Under the (UV)light / You see a sight that almost stops your heart. Part 2

The Pick# 82b (with latent imprint) has been stuck in my head for the last few weeks. I don't know, just a feeling that I haven't investigated the note completely enough and some reservations with the capabilities of my equipment. Since I had no other 3 Karbovansti notes to compare it to I went and acquired several for a control group, they are fairly cheap for raw notes. Upon their arrival and inspection they looked as they should, in regards to the latent imprint, under normal lighti
Ukrainian Banknotes

The (note) is HIGH but I'm holding on

I've previously mentioned I wasn't planning on upgrading any notes, except for replacing a few AU notes and that I would consider an upgrade for a +2 note. I've been sticking to my guns but it's been much less of a choice to do so as the popularity of Ukrainian notes as increased. PMG graded Ukrainian banknotes have been increasing in popularity, number and price over the past year, with the largest price increases being seen for the higher grade notes. I'll have to go back through my records bu
Ukrainian Banknotes

Maybe time is (an empty slot), endlessly mocking.

That empty slot for the P-125, 50 Hryven commemorative is sticking out like a sore thumb now that I have all the slots surrounding it filled.  I've had so many opportunities to purchase this note raw but other things keep popping up, the latest was an Isle of Man half sovereign last week. I have had the funds several times, I know were one is. Why can't I pull the trigger on this note!?  Well, I'm in the same position I was almost a year ago, waiting to accumulate funds to purchase thi
Ukrainian Banknotes

Upgrade my system (sets) at least twice a day.

Not really, but....  Most of the Ukrainian notes coming up for auction/sale as of late are duplicates of examples I already have but some would be upgrades for me. So do I take the opportunity to replace a few low grades in my set or not, I'm not so sure right now. There are many factors in a decision to upgrade your collection, as a collector you would of course want the best examples available (that are within your means). I'm definitely not upgrading anything unless it's a 2+ increase in
Ukrainian Banknotes

Under the (UV)light / You see a sight that almost stops your heart

A new note arrived the other day, always a joyous event. It was a P 82b, a note that the seller had multiples of, a note that you don't see as often as it's counterpart (82a). As soon as I saw this note I checked the PMG Population Report, five notes graded at 68 and 1 at 65. I don't keep a week by week record of the populations but I do check them out every Tuesday when they are updated and from what I recalled the five 68's are all new meaning they were all submitted together. Sweet, now I'm p
Ukrainian Banknotes

Where did you come from?

So this was part of another journal entry I was writing but I got completely sidetracked in researching/writing this aspect of the entry and it just doesn't fit or stay within the theme of the original anymore. Viola! A second journal entry.  In 1991 the newly Independent Ukraine was accepting bids to print its new currency the Hryvnia. CBNC (Canadian Bank Note Company), one of the bidders, is based in Ottawa. At the time Canada had a population of just over 27 million, 1 million of which w
Ukrainian Banknotes

Where have all the (Ukrainian banknotes) gone.?

Where'd they go? Oooh I know, in Bonezdog registry set! JK  But seriously this is a good problem to have. I keep an eye on the population reports and Ukrainian banknotes have been making big strides. While the pace has slowed in recent weeks I fully expect a large increase in the near future, an expectation such as that wouldn't exist without multiple collectors out there acquiring these graded notes, it's a simple matter of supply and demand. With out the demand it would be just me sending
Ukrainian Banknotes

Big Money Make Mistakes?

For me, part of the fun of collecting world notes is trying to find information, sorting though it and then trying to put the pieces together.... Like most collectors (if you don't have this you should think about getting a copy) I have and use the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money (Modern Issues 1961 - Present), I'm currently working off of the 25th edition. The SCWPM assigns Pick #'s, is THE book for PMG (their go to for modern world notes) and where PMG gest a lot of the information
Ukrainian Banknotes

It's not an issue (really it's not)

One of the things that draws me to world banknotes, lesser known and/or collected world banknotes, is that you can find and acquire "rarities" within a series or country and typically at a fraction of the cost for a similar U.S. note or similar heavily collected notes like China. In addition to the accessibility and price points another bonus is the variety or shear volume at times of the types of "rarities" you can acquire, and the volatility present in most newer countries just adds to the div
Ukrainian Banknotes

Makes me wonder if it's worth it to (get a good image)? Hell yes!

I spent the last 3 weeks scanning all of my banknotes and updating the images in my registry sets along with reorganizing my database where I have them all cataloged. Whew! The pictures I had taken early on had always bugged me, not taken straight on, dark and just blah. While using scanned images has limitations, especially on the modern notes with their moire patterns, grids and other anticounterfeiting printing techniques that are there to deter scanning. That said I didn't let the presence o
Ukrainian Banknotes

All we (I) need is just a little patience

Skip to the last paragraph if you want the short version. In a previous entry I had mentioned passing on P125 to go after several other notes that I had open slots for in my sets. A few days after that journal entry an auction pops up with 5 Ukrainian specimen banknotes in it, ok, now we're talking. Now I'm feeling even better about my choice to pass on the P125, a few specimen notes would look great in my collection. The auction was for seven days and would end end around 3:30 in the after
Ukrainian Banknotes

It's a long way to the top, if you wanna (good looking note)

I recently read a PMG article titled "Collection Inspiration: Women Writers". In the article a Ukrainian note is referenced, the 200 Hryven banknote, featuring Lesya Ukrainka on the front of the note. In the article a brief description was given about the Poetess and the note, PMG chose to highlight the 2nd series note (good choice) and I thought I would take the opportunity to expand on the evolution of the note itself.  After Ukraine declared independence from the USSR in 1991 the two cou
Ukrainian Banknotes

I'm a sucker for (Fake Banknotes).

I did it again, actually twice more but I'll just focus on one for now. My love for companion pieces to my Ukrainian banknote collection knows no end. I recently picked up a few more fake or "fantasy" notes, they are in the same vein as my previous acquisition of a commemorative Antarctic set of notes, see my Journal entry "You need more, more, more (Stuff)" for details on those. As with the Antarctic notes these were printed on behalf of the Ukrainian numismatic magazine Numismatics & Faler
Ukrainian Banknotes

You say I'm just a specimen! (Yeah, pretty much)

So how rare is a specimen? Well, if you collect Ukrainian banknotes not very. I've been looking at Ukrainian specimen notes for a while now, over a year, and one of the initial observations was that "wow, there are a lot available". Meaning that they are not hard to find and they are not hard to find a reasonable prices. For the modern issues anyway, 1991 to date. A quick search of ebay, lazily typing in UKRAINE SPECIMEN, nets 281 hits, of which I would say 50-75 are actual banknote specimens, s
Ukrainian Banknotes

Know when to Walk Away

Well, I can talk about this now that I'm out and the auction is almost over. A seldom seen Ukrainian bank note popped up for auction recently ( A PICK # 50!), it was in a PMG holder and was in good condition. I felt this was a good time (for me) to place a fairly serious bid on the note, I placed a minimum bid on it last week Wednesday, I was outbid by Friday then waited and bid again yesterday. My last bid was over the auction estimate but was not strong enough as I didn't overtake the current
Ukrainian Banknotes

50 percent of it's 50 Cent, the other 50 (is in my registry set).

Well, I finally hit the 50% completion mark in my Ukraine Complete 1917-Date, P1-Date set and here's the note that did it the humble P#81a. Ahhh, always feels good to hit a milestone along the way in your collecting journey. I acquired my first Ukrainian banknote back in 2017, my first TPG note in 2018 (I can't even remember which ones they were now), started my registry set here in 2019 and hit 50% completion this week. It's been a great experience so far, I've learned more about bank
Ukrainian Banknotes

Why don't you read the book? (Here I'll show you)

When I first started collecting Ukrainian banknotes, three or four years ago, the first purchase I made was the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money (Modern). hereafter Krause. This book gave me the general information I was looking for, what did some of the notes look like, how many different notes are there, etc.. This basic info gave me an idea of #1 did I like the notes (are they interesting and attractive to me), #2 how much was this going to cost (how many different issues and how rare), 
Ukrainian Banknotes

Which path to take, which pawn to move?

So I'm really torn here. As some may know I've been selling off some of my duplicate coins to acquire funds to purchase a particular banknote (Pick 125, 2011 50 Hryven Commemorative), see Journal entry "Right now! Catch that magic moment, do it right here and now?". I've been wrestling with this since July, I've hit the total needed to get this note probably 3 times and each time something else came up, i.e. a coin or a run of banknotes, etc.. We'll here I am again, I hit the target amount to bu
Ukrainian Banknotes

I'm the cream of the crop, I rise to the top!

Well after much foot dragging (and a little prodding), BAM!, I created a set for my Zimbabwe (new dollar) notes today. I must say the air is fresh and crisp up here at the top, (deep breath) ahhhhhh (thumbs firmly hooked onto suspenders *SNAP!*, hands on hips and looking stoically into the distance from atop the Registry.) . I recently purchased the final three notes I needed to complete the set, the $2 & $5 Bond Notes and the new 2020 $20 (say that three times fast). They arrived today, no
Ukrainian Banknotes

You're the best! Around! (70 EPQ)

I wasn't planning on a Journal entry today but what the heck, I saw something that just got the juices flowing, mostly jealousy. While wrapping up my morning browsing of eBay I enter my final search "Zimbabwe PMG". Sort, "Time Newly Listed", check. Scroll, scroll, scroll,wait what! Back, back, back, ooooooh! A PMG 2019, 70* EPQ Zimbabwe $2 banknote, sweet. I hadn't seen or noticed this note earlier in the week, as it looks like it was posted several days ago, with a little over a day left in the
Ukrainian Banknotes

You need more, more, more (Stuff)

"It was a dark and stormy night" Not really but it was pretty crappy out so I decided it was a good time to sort through the pile of cr*p (why does crappy show in the Journal but not cr*p, need to work on their censoring) on my desk. In doing so I realized it was a pile of supplemental material that I had saved, news articles, pictures, notes I made, etc. Towards the bottom of the pile was a group of "banknotes" (?), oh yeah, I remember these. It was a set of  commemorative "fantasy" banknotes t
Ukrainian Banknotes

"Choices always were a problem for you." (me).

I've been putting together a group of notes for submission to PMG over the last month/s and I thought it might be interesting to get a few opinions on a couple of notes I have multiples of. The first group I have whittled down to six, these are notes that I'm torn over, notes that for the most part I consider equal using my minimal grading abilities. I know a person can't tell the condition of a note based solely on an image, I'm just looking for opinions on the things you can maybe judge like m
Ukrainian Banknotes

That's (a)moire. (Close Enough, It's Two Different Languages For Pete's Sake)

Phonetics and countries aside, a moire /mwär/ is a pattern of irregular lines produced by the superposition at a slight angle (or offset spacing) of two sets of closely spaced lines. Moire patterns or moire grids are commonly used on banknotes as anti-scanning (counterfeiting) devices, how effective moires are in helping the layperson identify counterfeits or preventing counterfeiters from producing fake notes is topic for another day. At any rate, this all started with an effort to obtain bette
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