Sometime around 2015:

Around 2015, after picking up a few Duisenberg 2002 Euros, I figured I could try nations I traveled to (or would like to visit).  I put in a few bids on pre-Euro notes (Luxembourg, France, Germany). Some of these I won, most I lost, but my appetite was indeed "whet."  I also chased some of the cheap dealer stock.  I was like a kid in a candy store initially. After I settled down (from my shop-till-you drop buying frenzy), I realized I needed to become focussed & much more discriminating! I started to collect only nations I had actually stayed a night or 2 (actually visited).  During a trip to the Philippines, I realized I needn't break the bank to put together a nice special number set from the New Generation series.  

February 2018:

On my first trip to the Philippines I was on the look out for what might be a TOUGH signature combo & was on the look out for "Duterte-Tetangco" signed examples. How did I figure out which signature combo would be tough? I asked my wife to get me a stash (X50) of 20 Pesos notes. I soon discovered that most of them had the old "Aquino Tetangco" signature combo and only 1 or 2 were the new signature. Since our payments would be mostly conducted in cash (services/retailers would not take credit cards) I figured I would find the new signature eventually.  My wife handed me many overly circulated 1000 Peso notes with a cross symbol (which clearly functioned as replacements).  Soiled 1000 Peso notes were needed for our expenses so none were kept. A few raggy examples were found in lower denominations too. I was determined to acquire some UNC lower denominations (100, 50 & 20 Pesos) replacements or early "Duterte-Tetangco" signature combinations once I got back home. 

It took me weeks before I found a 2017F 20 Peso note with the "Duterte-Tetangco" signature combination! But again, it was in VF condition & not very collectible considering these would be the new signature!

My wife & I also made a commitment to see some of the other islands while we were there. These included both Palawan & Cebu islands.  We "island hopped" from the beautiful village of El Nido, Palawan and then swam with the whale sharks near Oslob, Cebu. Since my wife spoke the language, she negotiated most of our cash deals so I did not see all of our bills (even though she was very good at letting me check our change).  So, with all the fun we had, the holiday wasn't a numismatic adventure and I did not find what I was looking for.

And then, while checking through the airport for our return flight, a staff member handed me a 200 Peso note as change. I knew about the 500 Piso notes but had no idea this 200 Peso denomination existed! This beauty was in EF to AU (old signature combo) but it reignited my resolve to pick some UNC "keepers" online, back home.

March 2022:

My wife and I had a wedding to attend in her homeland. This time, I wanted to see the Tarsier creature featured on the reverse of the 200 Pesos note! One of the things I like about the Philippines set below is that it was inexpensive, a modern set of special #, & has most of the varieties. Many, like the 200 Pesos, actually bring back fond memories & keep the prospects of a future trip fresh in mind. The reverse of the 200 Pesos note prompted us to discover the Tarsier Sanctuary & the Chocolate Hills on Bohol Island.

*collectible* - I realize that collectible is a relative term. I am trying to keep the definition to UNC (original eye appeal) & tougher to obtain (expensive, high NRI & only few sellers) but also don't wish to dismiss the less collectible issues in high grades. Most Philippines notes have low NRI b/c so many people own them & they're inexpensive. This meant I could have fun collecting high grade, low #, solid radars & replacements without "breaking the bank." I also thought it would be fun to chase some years & signature combos that may end up being a bit tougher than others (low percentages despite the low NRI).

*TPG (Third Party Graded: I wanted this set to be certified by PMG to ensure I was getting original UNC notes rather than processed)

Conclusions:

• Enjoy I used my own collecting background to determine what I would put together for these sets.

• I have many more notes from this country (a Commemorative 500 & a polymer 1000) but have just selected my favourites or "my keeper set."

• I did not rely on NRI numbers for these but did track the percentages of certain signature combos (like the 2016 20 Pesos "Duterte-Tetangco" or the 2018B 100 Pesos "Duterte-Espenilla" varities). These have quite low percentages (5% or less) and ended up being tough varieties to find. I did not know that either of the "Duterte ___" combos would be tough but rather followed a hunch that proved correct.

• The highest grade- UNC notes should not be tough to source for the Philippine Islands (AU minimum) unless you are buying old, Large sized US printed versions (pricey).

• The new Polymer series meant there could be some strange anomalies for the last paper issued. I was keenly watching for any idiosyncratic varieties that eventually did appear. This is always exciting for a collector (to find something unusual!)

My collector radar was set for:

• Tougher years Some of the recently issued series were limited, get tougher years (2010, 2016 or 2022).

• Radars or Low Numbers these were bought in sets (typically $150 USD for a 10 note low # set) or $15USD/low # note. Solid radar sets (of 10 notes) were a little more expensive (about $20/note). Look for 2-3 digit radars since these sets dominate what is being sold!

• Replacements Most of my replacements were inexpensive (1/2 the price of the special numbers). 

• First "Signatures" some notes are from the tougher signature issues (2016 Duterte-Tetangco; Duterte-Espenilla).

• The 200 Pesos note since it was an oddity and spurred us both to investigate the Tarsier sanctuary, Bohol & the "Chocolate Hills."

Remember to:

• Find established online sellers with positive feedback ratings. If they send UNC that look more AU or cannot ship notes in decent packaging, switch!

• Have a few "fun" sets that satisfy your collecting goals (no matter what others say).

• Follow your gut. My collector hunches told me to get some of the signature change-overs & I was happy I did.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at notaphilyc@gmail.com 

LIST of WORLD Available