Hello collectors...  (unless you work for the IRS)

   I have been watching for more district sets and the ones I come across, even at the big auction houses like HA and S & B, are just one similar note from each district, with no great serial numbers or anything really connecting them except they are 'one from each district'  

   I buy a set of district notes with fancy serial #'s, then wait to meet one of the government agents who works in some capacity with the Treasury department.  Then I ask them to sign each note, THEN I have them graded.  I love doing that.

   I currently have a neato set of 2003 $2 notes, with the serial #'s 00000082* (with a star). And the package they came in from the mint.  I heard of a dealer who saw the set with ser. # 00000001, but it went into a collection and hasn't been seen since.  Hate to think what that is worth.  

   I also have a graded set signed by a Treasury personage you all know, Marin...  This is also a $2 district set with a double digit serial # 00000039*

   I have not gone to the Mint or Bureau of printing because I like to 'run across' these sets in my travels to many coin and currency venues.  I do know of another set, but the fellow wants way too much.  

   I then go to the PMG population reports and put a note on each one to see if I have any one of a kind, or pops at least under 10.  I find, that most people buy these sets and never have them graded, or touchy feely them for a while before grading, they they come back basically a very low grade. I have seen some of these notes come back with a 25.  That HAD to be messed with by someone who doesn't know how to handle (or NOT HANDLE) currency.

   We are just not able to see well enough with our eyes; we MUST touch something.  Anyway, don't do that.

Just wanted to note; the populations of these are quite small making this set 'rare'.  Now if you just simply go to the pop reports for the correct notes, find the one of the set which has the lowest population and that # is the # of sets that can have a 'top pop' or 'finest known' designation.  Now the collector's society nor PMG nor the mint nor anyone else designates any particular set as 'finest known' but the population of the notes in the set DOES define that "slot".  If you check the populations for this set, you will see, it is a 'FINEST KNOWN".  

Now that and 10C.....  you know what I mean, but it's fun to have so many top pops in one set.  

I have a double district set which will be the focus of a future journal.  Wait for it.

Hope you enjoy the pictures and the prattle.

Capt. Brian