Sheik Sheck

I just picked this one up. This series of notes have the most wonderful reverses. They are great themes in American history,. Here is "DeSoto discovering the Mississippi" I am waiting on PMG to grade it and of course praying for EPQ or at the least no NET.

The new owner with excellent provenance. I really like the idea of building a note's history of ownership. Plus Thomas Flynn had great taste. I wish I knew if he were still around? Anyone know?

Wow, good for you. The only CGA I have seen that went North after PMG graded it. Congratulations, it's a sweet note. I think $50 any things especially FRBN smalls are going to continue to hold their value. 50's seem to be equal in cost to the 100's. 

I was was going to focus NBN's on places I've lived etc but now I look at the signatures, good quality with good signatures will retained their values well in my opinion. 

And recently picked up his $10 Big Brother. All for Lawrence's signature!

I bought this one ungraded just for the signature! Surprised it came back a 35 EPQ. 

Well, you're smart Scary Bear never buying ungraded notes listed as GEM, Uncirculated or other nonsense that can't be possible or the note would have been graded long ago. I didn't participate in Nationals when I began but now I can't seem to stay away from them. Their are so many different banks and states, it is a whole collecting discipline unto itself. I picked this one up for a decent price as their must have been someone who tucked away 100 or so notes around this serial number from this bank since it was reasonably priced. I'd be interested to hear more about your strategy? Do you stick to a State? A particular bank? I am going after notes with wonderful signatures. Their are some great signatures out there. 

I think vendors that sell ungraded notes are for the most part a scam. Not all, but a lot. Almost every ungraded note I bought and judged based on scans graded NET or had some other problem. Especially the high dollar ungraded notes. They have probably been looked at a thousand times by professionals that saw repairs or flaws and recommend they not be graded. Then they sell them to the purveyors of ungraded notes that then sell them on Ebay and get fantastic feedback because the note looks good and the buyer doesn't have them graded, but they don't notice a repaired tear. Then someone like me come along, buys a $2000 note and sends it off IMMEDIATELY for grading and when I leave negative or neutral feedback, the seller gets pissed off and says, "why not send it back and get a refund before leaving negative feedback?" Well, duh, I just spent a pretty penny to have it graded and I trusted your unprofessional assessment of the note. Don't advertise the note as "UNCIRCULATED GEM LIKE" and the note comes back a 35 and the customer is upset because the scan was bleached white to where repaired tears were impossible to see. Sorry for ranting, but two dealers won't sell to me now because I gave them neutral feedback because they over-promised and under delivered and I ruined their cherished 100% feedback. And they keep selling ungraded noes with their unprofessional opinion on the grade fooling buyers. Shame. If it's you selling these notes, just don't advertise, "this is a GEM UNC BEAUTY"....

I believe that's what I will do. I appreciate the opinion. I want it in a PMG holder, it's just too much of a risk to lose the 40 grade.

It graded at PCGS 40.