
Since 1981, a trusted dealer in accurately-graded, high quality collectible world currency, fantasy art bills, stocks, bonds, checks, movie money, and more!
Banknote Storage
How you store and/or display your notes should be determined largely by how much you paid for them, how prized they are by you, how scarce they are in general, and finally, your own particular taste. If you just collect low-cost modern notes, often-times the holder you put the note in is worth almost as much as the note itself! But for valuable items, you should use archival grade polyester or polyethylene holders or albums. The albums especially can get quite expensive but if you have the truly rare notes, this may be the route to take. Many dealers use the polyester (also called MYLAR which is a particular brand) 5x8 holders for their stock. These are available generally from 40-50 cents each depending on the quantity you buy. Then the 5x8 holders can be placed in a box or container of suitable size and built of a relatively inert material so as not to cause a problem with your collection. Do not use holders containing PVC for long-term storage of your notes as they can react with paper as they do with metal. There are some very thin holders now on the market which are crystal clear and seem to be polyester. These should make good holders for low-value notes.
How you store your notes may also be determined by where you will store them, i. e. if they're going into a narrow safety deposit box, you can rule out using big albums. If you're using labels on your holders, which most collectors use, make sure they can be peeled off in one piece in the event you need to change the label or want to use the holder for a different note.
Of course, care should be taken to store notes in the proper environmental conditions (40 to 50 percent humidity is ideal to prevent the paper from drying out). Obviously you don't want to keep them in a place that's too damp where mold or mildew could form. Insects and other "critters" can be extremely destructive to your valued notes! Bright and constant light is another hazard as the ink on notes will fade when subjected to a lot of bright light (UV) for an extended period. Other considerations include keeping notes in a good location protected from calamities such as floods and fire, as well as theft, as much as possible.
Contact Info
Email: rjreed@misterbanknote.com
Mailing Address: Richard J. Reed
PO Box 52438
Sarasota, FL 34232-0320
Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8AM - 5PM
(Eastern Standard Time)