Pre-€uro banknotes

Hi guys

Who here are trying ti find notes from West Europe eigthies & nineties area ?

I saw that sunflower one on eBay. It's a great note, but a bit pricey!

Of course the Sunflower 50 NLG was quite hard to catch It!

Btw I am watchin for thé Lighthouse 250 NLG but…its another level 😂😂😂

I started to collect the 1st Euros with the Wim Duisenberg signature which I found difficult to find on my first trip to Ireland in 2004. By that time most of the Euros I encountered were Trichet so I realized this was a collector opportunity (to get some of the short-lived varieties).  A few years later, I realized that most of the European nations who switched had amazing banknote designs & that most were definitely worthy the chase. However, most pre-Euro were pretty expensive even back then so I tried to get whatever I could so long as it was UNC.

Here's a thread I started re: Pre-Euro help & questions about which nations/series to seek 4 years ago. It's a pretty huge topic & area to collect. It could be a daunting task so I think a few parameters are needed in order to limit what you go after.  I frequently break my budget.

The notes you posted look great. I still need more notes from the Netherlands but got enough Irish & cheaper denominations from Italy.  I bought the 2000 P-160d 500 Francs from France (Marie Currie) note because I didn't see many offered (mostly P-160a). I guess I will be at it for some time.

Serial_Number_8

I started to collect the 1st Euros with the Wim Duisenberg signature which I found difficult to find on my first trip to Ireland in 2004. By that time most of the Euros I encountered were Trichet so I realized this was a collector opportunity (to get some of the short-lived varieties).  A few years later, I realized that most of the European nations who switched had amazing banknote designs & that most were definitely worthy the chase. However, most pre-Euro were pretty expensive even back then so I tried to get whatever I could so long as it was UNC.

 

Here's a thread I started re: Pre-Euro help & questions about which nations/series to seek 4 years ago. It's a pretty huge topic & area to collect. It could be a daunting task so I think a few parameters are needed in order to limit what you go after.  I frequently break my budget.

 

The notes you posted look great. I still need more notes from the Netherlands but got enough Irish & cheaper denominations from Italy.  I bought the 2000 P-160d 500 Francs from France (Marie Currie) note because I didn't see many offered (mostly P-160a). I guess I will be at it for some time.

Of course national currencies before 2002 was much prettier than €

For example the Marie Curie 500FRF France valued around 75€ 

I invité you to see m'y collection in my profile

And yes pre-€ Europe is the harder part of World for banknotes collectors !!

Serial_Number_8

I started to collect the 1st Euros with the Wim Duisenberg signature which I found difficult to find on my first trip to Ireland in 2004. By that time most of the Euros I encountered were Trichet so I realized this was a collector opportunity (to get some of the short-lived varieties).  A few years later, I realized that most of the European nations who switched had amazing banknote designs & that most were definitely worthy the chase. However, most pre-Euro were pretty expensive even back then so I tried to get whatever I could so long as it was UNC.

 

Here's a thread I started re: Pre-Euro help & questions about which nations/series to seek 4 years ago. It's a pretty huge topic & area to collect. It could be a daunting task so I think a few parameters are needed in order to limit what you go after.  I frequently break my budget.

 

The notes you posted look great. I still need more notes from the Netherlands but got enough Irish & cheaper denominations from Italy.  I bought the 2000 P-160d 500 Francs from France (Marie Currie) note because I didn't see many offered (mostly P-160a). I guess I will be at it for some time.

@Serial_Number_8, I am a little bit luckier than you and I did not have to travel to Ireland to get my full set. I managed to get a full set back in the early 00s, all Ireland T prefix except for the 200 euro. They gave me an Austria N 200 euro instead as I found out that Ireland prints all denominations except the 200 euro. All are UNC condition, however, one has a teller flick on it which was a bit disappointing. I got them via snail mail, and I did not ask for a replacement as it was a hassle then.

A month prior to the physically introducing the euro, I also got a full set of the Irish set from 5 to 100 punt. Again, I believe one of the notes has a teller flick on it too, but all are in UNC condition. Someone here not long ago mentioned that the 100 punt is now worth more than a 1000 euro now. If I had known that then I would have got a few more. All these were acquired at face value.
 

Just sharing some of my past experiences, back in the late 70s, we went for a European coach tour of 8 countries. In those years, credit cards were not as common as today, and before leaving, I went to a currency exchange shop in England and took out some European currencies, and some of them came from mint bundles and I kept a few for my collection. I still have them today. When we were in Venice, we took a ride on a canal ferry and the ferry conductor gave us a change on the ticket with a 500 lirea P94. To my surprise, the note came from a mint bundle too and I still have this note to this day. I am aware that this is a cheap and common note but it was fun to get them in such condition.
 

Unfortunately my trip did not include the Netherlands and if not, I would have exchanged some of their currency too.

@Serial_Number_8, I am a little bit luckier than you and I did not have to travel to Ireland to get my full set. I managed to get a full set back in the early 00s, all Ireland T prefix except for the 200 euro. They gave me an Austria N 200 euro instead as I found out that Ireland prints all denominations except the 200 euro. All are UNC condition, however, one has a teller flick on it which was a bit disappointing. I got them via snail mail, and I did not ask for a replacement as it was a hassle then

-Yes @ahkai, I saw a list of your sets listed on your site & it appears as if you have many of the tougher prefixes/issues.  I'm not sure if I'd call you lucky or “timely.”  You had a 2 year jump on me & started acquiring right away, did you not?  And, in 2004, when I was visiting Ireland, I saw only filthy, heavily circulated examples of the first signature so I took a pass (didn't keep any) & just couldn't see the point in tying up money on crappy looking bills.  I waited quite a few years before I saw any  UNC "Duisenberg" listed on eBay & when they finally started showing up (2010-2015), prices seemed “steep” to put it mildly.  

A month prior to the physically introducing the euro, I also got a full set of the Irish set from 5 to 100 punt. Again, I believe one of the notes has a teller flick on it too, but all are in UNC condition. Someone here not long ago mentioned that the 100 punt is now worth more than a 1000 euro now.

Very astute collector move @ahkai!  Unfortunately, I was busy dealing with the aftermath of a fire, wrapping up school & didn't have a cent to even think about currency in 2001 & 2002.  It wasn't until 2003 that I finally found a little breathing space, financially.  

Unfortunately my trip did not include the Netherlands and if not, I would have exchanged some of their currency too.

I find it amazing that collectors get UNC notes at the exchange outlets when they travel. I never did (not low denominations). I actually got an UNC 50 Baht when I was in Thailand 2 years ago & was really surprised.  I think that was the first time in all my travels but if I did get UNC they were always high denominations (I had to spend). I can get some UNC here (in Canada) occasionally but its really “hit or miss.”  

ahkai

I managed to get a full set back in the early 00s, all Ireland T prefix except for the 200 euro. They gave me an Austria N 200 euro instead as I found out that Ireland prints all denominations except the 200 euro. All are UNC condition, however, one has a teller flick on it which was a bit disappointing. I got them via snail mail, and I did not ask for a replacement as it was a hassle then.

 

A month prior to the physically introducing the euro, I also got a full set of the Irish set from 5 to 100 punt. Again, I believe one of the notes has a teller flick on it too, but all are in UNC condition. Someone here not long ago mentioned that the 100 punt is now worth more than a 1000 euro now. If I had known that then I would have got a few more. All these were acquired at face value.

The 200 Euro notes issued initially by the Central Bank of Ireland were all Austrian. Irish 500 Euro notes still fetch a significant premium. 

A 100 Punt 1995 will easily sell for 1200 Euro if it grades 67 EPQ or better. The notes were not issued via ATMs and were not in common circulation.

Hibernia

ahkai

I managed to get a full set back in the early 00s, all Ireland T prefix except for the 200 euro. They gave me an Austria N 200 euro instead as I found out that Ireland prints all denominations except the 200 euro. All are UNC condition, however, one has a teller flick on it which was a bit disappointing. I got them via snail mail, and I did not ask for a replacement as it was a hassle then.

 

A month prior to the physically introducing the euro, I also got a full set of the Irish set from 5 to 100 punt. Again, I believe one of the notes has a teller flick on it too, but all are in UNC condition. Someone here not long ago mentioned that the 100 punt is now worth more than a 1000 euro now. If I had known that then I would have got a few more. All these were acquired at face value.

The 200 Euro notes issued initially by the Central Bank of Ireland were all Austrian. Irish 500 Euro notes still fetch a significant premium. 

A 100 Punt 1995 will easily sell for 1200 Euro if it grades 67 EPQ or better. The notes were not issued via ATMs and were not in common circulation.

Thanks Hibernia

Thanks for letting me know. I am sure one of those notes has a teller flick on it, but I will have to check the notes to see which one. 
 

Yes, I was aware of the 200 euro not printed with the T prefix, as when I got the set, I was very disappointed not knowing that Ireland printed all the denominations, except for the 200 euro. Personally, I like to collect banknotes in full for a given year.
 

I was also surprised with the current value for the Irish 100 punt as it is not a large note. My aim, some 20 years ago, was to get a full set for my collection. I also managed to get most of the Northern Ireland notes (issued then at that time) printed by all the 3 major banks, including a full set of specimens for the Northern Bank 2005 series P206s to 210s all free, courtesy of the bank. However, there is one note that I am unable to get, and that is the Northern Bank 5 pounds polymer replacement with N prefix. Some years ago, this note was selling on eBay for around 15 pounds in circulated condition.
 

Very few people were in a position to access true UNC £100 Punt notes, and relatively few of them were saved. Many examples are AU with very light handling at best, hence the high value on notes grading 67 or higher which has been tested in auction several times over the past few years.

Hibernia

Very few people were in a position to access true UNC £100 Punt notes, and relatively few of them were saved. Many examples are AU with very light handling at best, hence the high value on notes grading 67 or higher which has been tested in auction several times over the past few years.

Honestly, I am surprised that you have said that. Back then, I find it quite easy to get them. If it was not because of my big ego and greed, I would have gotten a few more. The exchange rate was terrible then too. Back then, my aim was to get one full set before they all disappeared. I collect all banknotes and I was building up my collection then, especially from that part of the world. Around the same time I also bought UNC banknotes from Scotland (all three banks), Northern Ireland (all issuing banks) and all these were done via snail mail with payments via bank drafts. As a wage earner, it is hard to spend more than you earn. Around that time (early 2000s). I even managed to get a full set of English notes (P588b, 589b, 390a & 391a) from BoE in London, and all these at face value plus postage too. 
 

I just briefly checked my Irish 100 punt note and it is in UNC condition with no visible flaws. However, my 500 euro T prefix has a teller flick on it. This is disappointing. Should have returned it back then for an exchange.

BTW, this is just show and tell:-

This is the Clydesdale Bank 100 pounds P229D commemorative note. The signature on the note is Stuart Ian Grimshaw, a Kiwi. We used to work in the same office here in Australia before he got posted to Scotland. He was the boss in the office here then, managing about 10 managers plus other associates. His signature only appeared on two notes. The other one is the 50 pounds P229C. Both notes were issued to commemorate Glasgow University. I got these two notes from the bank at face value too. I can still remember him, but not the other way round.😂

I even managed to get a full set of English notes (P588b, 589b, 390a & 391a) from BoE in London, and all these at face value plus postage too. 

I wish that was still the case. I'm finding it hard to get uncirculated notes. My bank doesn't have (well only £50s they can get). They tell me they just get used bills delivered. The £50 they get new because very few people bring them in for deposit, they get taken on holiday etc.

I emailed BoE asking how I can get uncirculated notes and they said they can't help me, all they provide is exchange for notes that are no longer legal tender.

odd job

I even managed to get a full set of English notes (P588b, 589b, 390a & 391a) from BoE in London, and all these at face value plus postage too. 

 

I wish that was still the case. I'm finding it hard to get uncirculated notes. My bank doesn't have (well only £50s they can get). They tell me they just get used bills delivered. The £50 they get new because very few people bring them in for deposit, they get taken on holiday etc.

 

I emailed BoE asking how I can get uncirculated notes and they said they can't help me, all they provide is exchange for notes that are no longer legal tender.

 

 

Hahahahaha...

Yes, it was never their policy to provide such service, but I managed to persuade a BoE staff member at the Counter Service department to sell me a full set. It was really fun then. I bought £5 x 2 and one each for the rest. The exchange rate was 0.39 to one AUD. If it was not of our poor exchange rate, I would have bought a pair each at least.