The trend has been going for quite a while, so I am sure that avid collectors are already weary of this fact, but paper money featuring the young Queen Elizabeth II fetches much more value than money of the same value, from the same era, but without her majesty. Of particular note are banknotes from the Bahamas and Jamaica (pre-1961 issue), which have been fetching tidy sums of money on eBay in any condition above VF. Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy one of those notes, so I have settled on something different, which I hope will go up in value in the same fashion: a Malta p27a which is a five pound banknote from 1961. The banknote features a young Queen Elizabeth II at right and hasn’t soared to the values of the Bahamas and Jamaica counterparts, but I have a feeling that this will change. Good investment? Only time will tell …

Malta p27a: 5 Pound banknote from 1961

There is a very large influx of Spanish banknotes on eBay at the moment. I have no idea what triggered this, but banknotes from spain, particularly those from the first half of the 20th century, are extremely common at the moment. I really cannot even begin to guess at what started this, but I, for one, am being cautious about what I buy. There are simply too many high denomination notes in AU or UNC condition on eBay, even though I recognize that Spain has a history of strange money printing habits associated with its wars and revolutions. But, if you’re willing to take the risk, this is a great time to purchase Spanish banknotes, particularly in bulk and with running serial numbers.

I have recently posted a banknote for sale on eBay. This banknote belongs to a friend of mine, and I have agreed to try and sell it for him. It is pick 26 from Canada, which is a $4 bill from 1902, issued by the Dominion of Canada. This banknote is similar to other Canadian $4 banknotes on eBay, except that it is an extremely rare version and, by catalog values, is worth three times as much as its more common version. This banknote has the number 4 at the top left and right hand corners on the face, and the word ‘Four’ at the bottom corners on the face. The more common version is opposite in this regard. It is actually a very beautiful banknote, as you can see below.

Dominon of Canada Banknote p26: 4 Dollars from 1902

Take a look at this note on eBay!

I have recently realized that older banknotes issued by the government of Gibraltar are selling for relatively little money on eBay. In particular I am referring to notes from 1937-1958, which are pretty much identical to those issued in the sixties and seventies, except for the date and probably the signature. I really think that these are undervalued both in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money as well as eBay. And, truth be told, they are quite attractive, even though the different denominations differ almost exclusively based on underprint color (and the denomination, ofcourse). The 10 Shilling and 1 Pound banknotes are selling for around $12-$15 and the 5 Pound notes are selling for around $30. I highly recommend purchasing a few of these, especially if you don’t have any of them in your collection. These banknotes are going to boom before long, and in the long-term they will prove to be great investments. Here’s one I got for $14.65:

Gibraltar pick 15a: 1 Pound from 1938

I have no idea what spurred it, but Tunisian banknotes from the 1965 issue are selling for above catalog value on eBay, sometimes regardless of condition. These banknotes feature Habib Bourguiba on the face side, with images of factories and refineries in the background. The back sides of these banknotes depict cultural items such as paintings and architecture. Here’s a sample from my collection:

Tunisia p63a: 1 Dinar from 1965

I don’t know what it is, but sales of Syrian banknotes from the 1930′s and 1940′s have gone crazy on eBay within the last two weeks. Banknotes that were selling for $10-$20 are now selling for $120+ all of a sudden. I really have no idea what caused this craze, but it seems as though I have missed my opportunity to own some of these banknotes. It seems as though denominations have only a small influence as I have seen 10 Piastre notes sell for more than the 5 Livre notes. If you’re looking to sell part of your collection and have Syrian banknotes, now is the time to cash out.

I have found an eBay seller who has a great bargain on Angolan banknotes. I am referring to the 1958, 1962, and 1970 series specifically, as I believe that these will be of substantial value in the future. This is because these banknotes, on the back side, have great imagery of the African safari, including gazelles, rhinos, and the like. These banknotes have become a little less readily available, and though these are not in great shape, they are great investments in my books. Also, comparing prices on eBay these seem to be great deals. I have stocked up, I suggest you do the same. Check these out:

The store is as follows: 123collectorscurrency.

Here are the specific banknotes:

Angola 20 Escudos from 1962 @ $1.99
Angola 1000 Escudos from 1962 @ $5.99
Angola 1000 Escudos from 1970 @ $3.99

There’s also this banknote, but it seems quite pricey:

Angola 1000 Escudos from 1956 @ $65 (or make an offer)

This seller is excellent, and I have been in contact with him for most of the day. Very courteous, very professional, and has some great deals on these banknotes. I’ll let you decide the rest.

When I look for banknotes that are to serve as good investments there are a few criteria that I look for: condition, scarcity, and design, for example. But I also take a look at a couple of factors that have a solid impact on investments, and which are particularly relevant to banknotes such as the 1945 issue of Ethiopian dollars featuring Emperor Haile Selassie: these two traits are origin and purchase price. Purchase price is self explanatory: if the banknote can be bought cheap it is a small investment at present. But the ‘origin’ factor baffles some collectors, or at least it is a forgotten constituent of appraising investments.

Old African banknotes are the epiphany of this origin factor for me. This is because even modern African banknotes are treated poorly in their country of origin. Africans are famous for stuffing their shorts, bras, and mattresses with paper money, and have little respect for its condition. This means that paper money from Africa has a shorter lifespan, and is seldom found in EF+ condition, except where it has been purchased specifically for the purpose of collections and investments.

And this is why I am amazed to see Ethiopian banknotes from 1945 in VF condition selling for peanuts on eBay. Don’t get me wrong … these banknotes are not in great abundance, though they are not rare either. However, to pick one up for around $5 USD is a sound investment in my eyes. Recently I have bought Ethiopia’s $1 from 1945 for $5.50. Its not a pretty note, but it is old, in good condition, from an African country, and cheap. Perfect! Other denominations can be found readily, and relatively cheap.

Take from this what you will, but remember that this does not apply only to Ethiopian banknotes. There are other countries in Africa too! Oh yeah:

It looks like you people are not taking my advice: in an earlier post I told you that very old Haitian banknotes are sometimes still available in relatively good condition at a very affordable price. I was thinking that this would trigger some sort of response, being that these banknotes are becoming rare on eBay, but I was able to pick up one more for $21.55 USD, which means that I had very little competition in the way of bidding. Well, your loss …

I still strongly recommend collecting these, as they are generally in decent condition and sell for a very reasonable amount considering their age and origin.

Here’s what I got:

Not too long ago paper money from Angola was very cheap. In particular, I am referring to p87-91 from the 1956 issue, and p92-98 from the 1962 and 1970 issues. These examples of paper money used to sell for well under their catalog values. Examples in VF condition often sold for a couple of dollars apiece, whereas their values are supposed to range from $10-$30 in this condition. And though they have not quite caught up to their catalog values, they are doing a great job. Over the course of a year these banknotes have nearly quintupled in their selling price on eBay. Anyone who has been sitting on a pile of them is in luck now. For those who want to get their hands on these, there are still many bargains to be had on eBay, which is why I still believe them to be a great investment.

And that aside, they are beautiful notes, depicting the African safari on the reverse side.