PMG Results
My 50 bulk lot submission details:
10/29/22 The following observations match the dates I entered my notes/observations on this page. The entries may either provide an image of the note in the new holder or just my original scan with the assigned grade (as seen below with my 2 Australian submissions). I have added minor commentaries re: what I had expected (in grade) or what I had not expected or some type of lesson learned.
NOTE: Exceptional Paper Quality or EPQ is the designation PMG uses to designate an "original," unprocessed note (a note without issues). If the note does not receive EPQ that does NOT necessarily mean the note was processed (treated, washed, smoothed). It may also mean the note was lightly pressed, or had a minor stain, pinhole, bit of ink or glue residue detected. The bottom line is that the note has lost its "original condition" in any case. PCGS uses PPQ (Perfect Paper Quality) & BCS uses the term "Original."
11/05/22 I have added 4 more notes from Canada, Cook Islands, Columbia & the East Caribbean Authority. Only the first three are tough and the replacement from the Bank of Canada is scarce. I have had it for a while & forgot to submit it with my last bunch from BCS (here in Canada). What happened was I took out my notes from Iran & substituted them with these 4 notes (they fell into my submission list perfectly).
11/20/22 I added the Euros (which I picked up from many sources) last week. These had me a little worried as they cost me a "small fortune" considering how new (& drab) the designs are. But on my 2003 trip to Europe, one year after their release, all I could find were the new Trichet signatures in crisp condition. I found a few "Duisenberg" signed notes but they were dirty rags. Once home, I looked up his signature on Wiki & discovered he had died suddenly (& his signature disappeared from newly issued notes). From 2004 onward, I was on the hunt for "Duisenberg" Euros but seldom found any offered on eBay. I believe it was between 2008 & 2010 that I finally saw a few of these first signatures pop up for sale (& they were pricey). This past Saturday (11/19), I added the 20 Euros from Portugal & the Falklands & Fiji note (the last being quite a disappointment- but no surprise).
11/26/22 When I saw a Bermudan $20 onion prefix Gem listed for $49 on Banknote World, I decided it was time to "get off the pot" & "pull the trigger," as some US collectors say regarding making a purchase. I also saw two notes from Fiji listed for a very reasonable price. I contacted Banknote World about combining shipping. They agreed to combine but sent me an invoice for $35 shipping (more than what was agreed on!) If that was all, it would have been an amazing deal. However, my Banknote World package was flagged by Customs, so I had to dish out an extra $35.00 duty to pay in order for the note to cross the US-Canada border. I'm writing this for Canadians (or others not living in the US) who may think of buying a Banknote World item.
12/10/22 When I first saw the banknote designs from France I was hooked but had already made large purchases. Many times a collector must "draw a line in the sand" & state "enough is enough: no more notes!" So it took me a few years before I finally bought P-154f (100 Francs) & P-157a (50 Francs) from "Yuri" on eBay. After I purchased both notes I saw others go for cheaper than Yuri's BIN prices but now that I have the notes back from PMG I feel like it worked in my favour. Both received EPQ & the 50 Francs (P-157a) graded GEM 67! It took me much longer to find a P-160d (500 Francs). I'm not a large denomination collector but I admired this note featuring Marie Currie. I was thrilled to get this note from a Canadian seller for a reasonable price & the "Super Gem" designation was definitely "icing on the cake."
P-34, One Pound from Isle of Man was a bargain priced note so I should not be surprised it was pressed & did not receive the EPQ. It, along with some pressed solids from the Philippines, had evidence of minor handling & were priced like problem notes. These notes are the primary reason I wanted to start this PMG Results page. The other reason was seeing the chatter from collectors re: the pricing. Certifying notes is expensive, I won't deny it, but I believe that bulk submissions are the only way to go. You defnitely do not want to grade just any note. My P-106a (Italian 10,000 Lira) was a last minute addition as I had re-arranged my PMG submission list 2 times. I was in a hurry to get them submitted (even though the bulk batch had been sitting around waiting to go out for a couple months). This was another mistake! There were better (more valuable) notes I wanted graded but my dubious reply from PMG (re: certifying Iranian notes) made me change my submission list one final time. I suggest that you take your sweet time compiling a list of notes you wish to submit (don't hurry!) Be sure you believe the notes will get EPQ (unless quite rare).
12/17/22 I bought an expensive Falkland Islands 5 Pound note from an eBay seller from Israel. He had the Maltese One pound note (P-24) priced reasonably (for a low number) so I added it to the order. Unfortunately, it did not receive the EPQ and was clearly pressed. I blame myself for wishful thinking (I should have known that the embossing was pressed & the note looked dull. Another lesson learned! The two notes from New Zealand, part of a large Allen's order, faired much better (both EPQ) & the Latvian 20 Litu received a GEM 67 EPQ.
12/31/22 After a trip to the Philippines, I bought several solid radars, replacements & one error from a seller based in Manilla. Each package was sub-standard in terms of the way the notes were packaged/protected (some had hard cardboard inserts, others did not). But most alarming was the fact that I could see some notes were AU at best. Since a few (like the ones I posted) were rather tough (such as the red serial number) I submitted them in the hopes they'd get an EPQ. This was a hasty & poor decision. Fortunately, the rest of my notes, from a Singapore seller all passed the EPQ test & scored high grades. This is one of the lessons I wanted to convey on this PMG Results page: buy a little better and you will get better results.
01/07/23 During my 2018 trip to the Philippines, I saw a few Duterte-Tetangco signatures but mostly the early Aquino-Tetangco signature combinations on circulating currency. When I started to purchase pairs (or a set in the case of the 20 Pesos) of solid radars, I wanted Duterte Tetangco or the new Duterte-Espenillo combination. I thought the 3rd signature was going to be the tough one when it turned out that the Duterte Tetangco was just as tough (or tougher) on some denominations. However, at the end of the day, I'm sure most collectors simply care about a high grade GEM rather than the signature.
AUSTRALIA:
Australia P-35 PMG AU58
I won this Reserve Bank 5 Pound note on eBay. It was described as AU, with one fold, and that was all I could see. I failed to determine whether it was pressed or not. Just sent it in & hoped for an EPQ (but no EPQ -so pressed). It still looks nice though & it received PMG AU 58. Remember scans can be deceiving!
Australia P-37a
Bought from Allen's described as AU - UNC & listed for an EF price (Yeah!) I am very happy that the note received a UNC GEM 66 EPQ (I knew it looked good) but the grade was better than I expected! The other note (P-37c) was AU with a corner bump.
belize & bermuda:
Belize 38a super gem!
This is not an expensive note on eBay. In fact, it is pretty common and Allen's priced it a little higher (perhaps $5 more) than the average ungraded 1980 $1.00 I'm happy I ordered it now with that it received the UNC 67 EPQ grade!
bermuda 18b super gem!
This note is an expensive note to find on eBay & Allen's had it listed for much less. It was the key note that made me place my 2nd order with Allen's. The Australian P-37a above was from my 1st order. It also received UNC 67 EPQ
Canada & Cook ilsands:
BC-46aa VF30 EPQ
I was very happy to get a VF30 EPQ on this note which cost a "small fortune." The reason is that 99% of the *AA replacements have serial numbers below 5M. This happens to be one of the rare above 5M variety. All of these scarce high SN notes either end in 000 or 999!
Cook Islands P-4
This note graded as UNC64 EPQ. It is number BBB000086 & I would be lying if I didn't admit that I had hoped for a higher grade but at least it is EPQ which can be tough for notes that come from the Pacific Islands.
columbia & eastERN Caribbean authority:
Columbia P-452r radar
I was very happy to get a Super Gem 67 grade on this unlisted 5000 pesos Columbian radar. Would anyone know why has been identified as P-452r? Now I am wondering if it is a replacement since there is no "r" listed on the BM (but it is not the 2014 q note). Another mystery to solve!
ECS p-13g One Dollar
This $1.00 note completes my TPG set of notes from the East Caribbean Authority. I got it for less than half of what I would have paid had it been graded. This is a very common note but at least it fills my collection gap. From Allen's & accurately graded at GEM 66 EPQ!
euros:
5 Euros Greece P-1y
My 2003 trip to Europe (Ireland, Scotland & Spain) was a factor in my desire to obtain some Diusenberg Euros. I could not find any in decent condition so I turned to eBay. I found a Greek seller & put his/her BIN notes on my "WATCH" list. This is 1 of 3 notes I bought from this seller that returned UNC 66 EPQ.
10 Euros Italy p-2s
They were asking too much (IMO). About 1 year later, I decided to buy 3 listed as a lot (2 from Greece & 1 from Portugal). They were pricey but worth it! The Italian "S" & Irish "T" Tenners were part of a swap with an Italian coin collector. PMG's designation of Super Gem UNC 67 EPQ was very nice to see!
10 Euros p-2t ireland
The swap took 10 weeks to arrive from Italy! This was during the pandemic after Italy was hit hard. Needless to say, I was relieved to see them & its great to see this UNC 66 EPQ grade on a 10 Euro from Ireland!
10 Euros p-2y GREECE
This 10 Euro from Greece is rarely seen & it was printed in Austria! So I am glad that I bought the expensive 3 note lot from Greece despite the high price. It is my 2nd Super Gem 67 EPQ!
20 Euors P-3m portugal
This 20 Euro with the M prefix issued from Portugal was printed by TDLR in the UK (H printer code) & the main note I was after in my 3 note order from Greece. I was happy for a GEM 66 EPQ grade because I have rarely seen this London note from Portugal offered.
falkland IsLANDS & fiji:
Falkland 5 pounds P-12
I purchased this Commemorative 5 Pound note from the FALKLANDS years ago on eBay & it was then that I first decided I wanted to complete a set of notes from this UK dependent. The super GEM UNC 67 EPQ grade was nicely welcomed!
fiji 10 Shillings P-52b
This 10 Shilling note had signs that it may have been placed in somebody's wallet. I bought it on eBay based on a scan, listed as AU to UNC. I regretted the purchase the moment I received it. The low AU 55 grade, plus no EPQ, suggests it was pressed.
fiji $20 P-88a
This $20 note came from Banknote World. I thought it was fairly priced despite the fact they did not combine shipping (after stating they would). I had to pay duty at customs so it became one of my more expensive purchases. The GEM UNC 66 EPQ came as a relief!
fiji $5 P-97
This $5 note also came from Banknote World. I seldom saw P-97 offered so considered it fairly priced despite the fact they did not combine shipping (after stating they would). Once I paid duty, it became my most expensive Fiji $5.00! The GEM UNC 66 EPQ came as a relief as well!
FIJI $50 P-100b
This $50 note I picked up on eBay (along with some notes from New Zealand) had a fair BIN price. The short J prefix was supposed to be tough to source so I snapped it up. It was listed as AU but once inspecting it I figured GEM UNC 66 EPQ which PMG gave.
France 100 F P-154f
This 100 Francs, like most notes from France, has a very attractive, artistic design. I am a little disappointed that it only received a GEM 65 EPQ but it beats an UNC 64!
france:
50 Francs p-157a
When I learned that this first a version of the 50 Francs was modified 2 years later, I had to have one. I'm glad I got the above example & that it was good enough to receive a 67 Super Gem grade!
500 francs p-160d
I have been a fan of Marie Currie (& this note) with husband Pierre for years. I wanted the last (d) version printed in 2000 since the 1994 version seemed to pop up everywhere. I'm very pleased that it received a Super Gem 67 grade as part of my pre-Euro set!
india & Isle of man:
india p-89n
This 10 Rupee solid 2 radar note received an UNC 64 EPQ which did not surprise me. It was obvious when I got it that the edges weren't tight (& design a little off centred) & it had been overly handled. Anyway, it did get EPQ designation.
Isle of man p-34
This UNC 64 1 Pound failed to get the EPQ & was pressed. This note as well as some solid radars from the Philippines is one of the reasons I decided to show my PMG mistakes: in the hope you will buy a little better & submit for EPQ.
Isle of man 1 Pound p-38
I was happy that this Bradvek 1 Pounder (early venture into polymer) got the GEM UNC 66EPQ grade it deserved!
italy 10000 lira p-106a
This last minute addition got a Gem UNC 66 EPQ (as I dropped my Iranian submissions). I don't recommend last minute!
latvia & malta:
Latvia P-55b
This 20 Latu note received a super GEM UNC 67 grade! I was very happy with it as it did not come cheaply (a travel desitnation buy).
Malta P-29
This UNC 64 One Pound came from Israel & did not receive EPQ. I paid for an original note so no more from this seller.
new Zealand:
P-163cr $1.00 Replacement
Many World Currency sellers put a small premium on replacements & Allen's fits the bill! This inexpensive replacement rated Choice UNC 64 EPQ!
P-170c $2.00 Radar
Allen's priced this $2 radar marginally above a regular $2 note! I decided to snap it up & am happy it received a GEM UNC 66 EPQ grade!
P-179 $20 Low # 000185
When I started collecting notes from New Zealand, I wanted some of their last paper. This early 1992 low # fit the bill and it received Gem UNC UNC 65 EPQ.
P-182r $10 replacement
The same seller that sold me the P-179 $20 had the above $10 replacement listed for a fair price too. It was great to see it received Super Gem UNC 67!
The philippines:
5 Pesos Solid 4 radar P-153a
This 1973 solid 4 radar Five Pesos was described as UNC but did not receive EPQ. I should have known this would fail the EPQ test & the next 2 were pressed as all 3 (& others I bought) were extraordinarily cheap!
10 Pesos Solid 5 radar P-168e
I wanted to grade this note because it is a tougher red solid 5 radar. However, it came from the same seller as P-153a (1973 5 Pesos -left). I should have known this 1992 note was handled & pressed & refrained from certifying!
10 Pesos Solid 2 radar P-169c
This 1990 radar was also purchased from the same seller who sold me the above 2 notes. PMG assigned it UNC 64 with no EPQ & again likely pressed. I have other dubious notes from him which I did not submit: lesson learned!
20 Pesos Solid 8 radar P-182j
This 2010 20 Pesos came from a different Singapore seller. His notes were a bit more expensive but well worth the UNC 64 EPQ grade! I could immediately see they were better quality.
100 Pesos solid 5 radar P-222d
The moment I got this 2018B 100 Pesos, I realized it was near flawless. It did not surprise me that it came back with a super gem UNC 67 designation. I wanted the "Duterte-Espenilla" signature combo even though the Duterte Tetangco now appears to be the less common variety.
50 Pesos Solid 5 radar P-207c
This 2018 solid radar came with the 100 & it looked just as nice. Once again, I was after the 3rd signature combo (not realizing it was the 2nd signature combo was the tougher of the two varieties). Still a nice Super Gem UNC 67 grade which I will gladly take!
20 Pesos P-206a solid radar (7's)
This 2016 20 Pesos came as part of a 10 note set. All the notes seemed to be in excellent UNC condition so the GEM UNC 66 EPQ grade seems fitting.
100 Pesos P-208a solid radar (9's)
This 2014 100 pesos was one of my first purchases from an alternative seller. I liked it because it was all nines & from the original blue-tinted design. The GEM UNC 66 EPQ grade was a nice piece of reassurance!
20 Peso P-206b 1000000 # note
I was very happy to snag this 2017G Duterte - Tetangco Million # note & even more happy to see it rate UNC 67 super gem. This note came as part of a solid radar set (P-206a seen above was part of that 10 note set). Only 2 or 3 had the tough signature!
20 Pesos #1 note P-182j
I bought four low # sets & this 2010 20 Pesos (unlike the other 3 sets) was from the older ("Seal Type 5") series which was still being printed/issued in the Philippines. It is my 2nd super gem UNC 68 grade!
50 Pesos #1 note P-207a
This was the second low # New Generation set which was printed in France. My 3rd set was a 100 Pesos set #1 to #10. I was very happy to see the 2010 note get a Super Gem UNC 67 EPQ grade!
20 Pesos ladder note P-206a
This 2010 20 Pesos note is a single letter prefix and a descending ladder. I was happy to see that it scored an awesome super gem UNC 68 EPQ grade.
is grading for you?
Check out the video below & then decide if you want to submit your notes to BCS, PMG, PCGS, or the TPG* of your choice. I found it very interesting to watch (though I would highly recommend a 50 note bulk batch) not 20 as he recommends (he's thinking US notes). Grading or certifying one's banknotes is not for everyone & should be done only after careful consideration.
MOST collectors want each note to have a minimum value since submitting your notes to a TPG is expensive. I feel that your note should be collectible (desired) with a minimum grade as part of your guideline. Ultimately, it is you who must decide what your threshold is (or why are you grading?)
Personally, I do not feel that certifying a note increases its resale value. I have purchased many TPG notes for less than an ungraded note on eBay! Instead, a certified note preserves, legitimizes & assures you that your note will be much easier to sell down the road. It raises the status of your note so there will be less debate on what grade IT actually is. In this way, it makes your note more liquid. This is especially sweet for your heirs if you plan on keeping your notes (so they don't have to go through the extra rigmarole of ID your note, etc.) They will be much easier to organize & liquidate in a profitable, less time consuming manner.
There are many more factors which will raise, or lower, your notes resale value & most of those factors are beyond your (or anyone's) control. Most of these factors have to do with the Collectible's Money Market.
Drop me a line if you have a TPG experience you'd like to share!
*TPG: Third Party Grader