Early examples of American Currency are available in Heritage Auctions Tuesday U.S. Currency Select Auction 142149. The auction ends shortly (December 7, 2021 in the evening). This is one of those auctions that represents an opportunity for collectors (or investors) to own a PMG graded $1,000 bill and other rare or unique currency notes.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Currency that trades at multiples of its face value would definitely fit into the theme of an alternative asset class.

Collectors Dashboard wanted to explore both the featured examples in this sale but also types of currency we have featured before. Current bids of currency reported on by Collectors Dashboard in this auction are before buyer’s premium.

While most of the focus will be on the larger notes, we did allow the featured note to be given a broader up-front description. It’s also worth learning about these types of notes.

The featured bill in this auction is for a fractional note. These old relics from the past are rather unusual and would be hard to fathom in modern fiat paper money. The Fr. 1286 25¢ Second Issue Inverted “S” Surcharge PMG Choice About Unc 58 EPQ estimated at $400.00+ with a current bid of $230.00. (Image provided by Heritage Auctions)

Heritage said:

“Here is the Heritage description: The Fr. 1286 Inverted “S” variety comes both on regular issue and Experimental notes. Interestingly, the Experimental notes are quite a bit more common than the regular issue notes. There are only about a half dozen known examples of the regular issue inverted “S” notes. The last example that we sold from the Tabacco Family collection only graded PMG Extremely Fine 40 and sold for $384.”

We have identified how and why all collectors want to (or should want to) own a $1,000 bill. The price is only part of it. (Image below by Heritage Auctions)

There are also many $500 bills coming for auction that also trade at significant premiums. Here are the $1,000 bill examples in this auction:

• PMG Graded Choice About New 55PPQ 1934A San Francisco $1,000 bill (L00096536A) estimated at $3,750+ with a current bid of $3,300.00.
• PMG Graded Choice Extremely Fine 45 1934 Kansas City $1,000 bill (J00018121A) estimated at $3,000+ with a current bid of $2,600.00.
• PMG Graded Extremely Fine 40 1934A Chicago $1,000 bill (G00171839A) estimated at $3,000+ with a current bid of $2,500.00.

Other PMG graded notes that are of $500 bills worth mentioning in this auction are also at a big premium to face value. The $500 bills include the following:

• PMG Graded About Uncirculated 50 1928 Chicago $500 Bill (G00055801A) estimated at $2,000+ with a current bid of $1,650.00.
• PCGS Graded About New 53 1934A Chicago $500 Bill (G00271967A) “mule” estimated at $1,750+ with a current bid of $1,350.00.
• PMG Graded Very Fine 30 1928 Philadelphia $500 Bill (C00015125A) estimated at $1,500+ with a current bid of $1,350.00.
• PMG Graded Choice Uncirculated 63 1934A San Francisco $500 Bill (L00128650A) estimated at $2,250+ with a current bid of $1,125.00.
• PMG Graded Very Fine 25 1934 Chicago $500 (G00012733A) “Light Green Variety” estimated at $1,300+ with a current bid of $700.00.

And lastly there is a pristine PCGS Graded Gem Uncirculated 65 PPQ 1928 Ten-Dollar Gold Certificate estimated at $900+ with a current bid of $925.00. These notes are very affordable if circulated and collectors can find these in ungraded condition for close to $100.00 per bill.

Collectors Dashboard recently profiled and updated eBay sales of One Thousand Dollar Bills. We were able to show the graded examples sold for higher prices. Heritage Auctions was also represented as selling some of the most unique and finest examples known to Investors. Collectors want to own a One Thousand Dollar Denomination, Investors are hunting for the highest known grades.