How Is This Process Done ?

Hi denco7,
I don't condone any type of note restoration, unless the note is so rare that it needs "saving". With somewhat common notes I believe it is only being done to defraud the new collector and it's a detriment to the hobby. If it can still be called a hobby now a days. It now seems to be more about the money you fold up and put in your pocket, it no longer seems to be about building a collection.

I know I've said this many times but all anyone has to do is read the post about what it's worth, and where can I sell it. It's no longer like it was back in the 1950's, 60's and 70's etc. Very, few notes are rare enough to warrant being actually "restored" but when the TPG's came along and the investors came into the Currency field things really started to go down hill for the average Currency Collectors.

The TPG's have somehow convinced buyers that they can grade to within one point, and on some notes that means that it can jump up a thousand or more, that's not collecting, that's investing. Sooner or later I don't doubt that they will try an convince the public that they can grade within a half a point, it will put more money in there pocket, just think what the difference in so called value would be between a 65 and a 65.5, it may sound crazy but I think it could happen, what a lot of those investors don't know is the high turn over of graders that these TPG's have, and it's mostly because there part timers, high school or collage kids, they don't have much interest in currency collecting, and if you look at what they say a note grades at it's "apparent" that a lot of them don't know how to grade. If you take notice you will see that they are always looking for graders.

Please don't ask where I got this info, all I can say is that it comes from a insider that used to be a grader.
Sorry I got carried away with this post but you asked for my option.
Bill Collector

1896 $2 Educational Silver Certificate, Serial Number 9819294, Prior to Doctoring
Sold for US $545



After Doctoring sold for US $711.11.They did a good job on this note.



Does anyone remember this seller http://www.ebay.com/usr/brothers2sportscards they were from Port Richey Florida I think his name was bill,he was one of the best at Doctoring notes.

As well as coins.

Prior to Doctoring PMG VF25 $100 Federal Reserve Note, Serial Number B2378834A.
Item Location: Eminence, Missouri.
Sold:for US $517.77







Doctored For Resale PMG VF25 $100 Federal Reserve Note, Serial Number B2378834A
Item Location: Salem, Ma
Sold: for US $936

"This particular note is beautiful extra fine. It is super crisp with no rips, stains or tears. It does have scattered pinholes which can only be seen when held up to the light

1918 $2 ST LOUIS FEDERAL RESERVE BANK NOTE (BATTLESHIP) PCGS VF30, Serial Number H2516136A, Prior to Doctoring.
Sold for $860 on July 21.










Cracked Out PCGS VF30 Listed as "Almost Uncirculated" 1918 $2 ST LOUIS FEDERAL RESERVE BANK NOTE (BATTLESHIP), Serial Number H2516136A
Salem, Ma., United States
Sold for US $1,824.99
item description:



"This gorgeous rare note note is an almost uncircualted plus condition note. It has super crisp quality paper with no rips, tears or pinholes. It features razor sharp edges, full perfect margins and excellent color with full embossing!!"

BStrauss,
it is usually a much more intensive process than just adjusting white balance on a camera. Its usually a chemical process that pulls the stains off the paper and bleaches the note, making the paper much whiter. However, the downside to this process is that in addition to adding whiteness and removing stains, it pulls out much of the color from the design and most especially serials and seals. On large size type notes this is often most evident on bright white chiefs and bisons (in grades XF and lower usually) wherein the serials have a faded look to them instead of the deep bold blues and reds that these notes should have. Somehow this is overlooked and the bright white is passed off as "eye appeal" and many of these notes will fetch decent premiums, even in circulated grades. The majority of collectors don't notice this, don't know the process, or simply don't care and as always the TPGs are clueless and will give out EPQs and PPQs to bleached notes with faded designs like they're handing out candy on Halloween.

ebay 1899 $5 Chief Silver Certificate, Serial Number M71298364, Prior to Doctoring
Listing Date: Jul-23-12 (7 Day Duration)
Item Location: Atlanta, GA, United States
Sold: Jul-30-12 for US $360 via 27 bids








ebay Doctored for Resale 1899 $5 Chief Silver Certificate, Serial Number M71298364
Listing Date: Aug-03-12
Item Location: USA, United States
Sold: Aug-10-12 for US $536 via 21 bids

"Somehow this is overlooked and the bright white is passed off as "eye appeal" and many of these notes will fetch decent premiums, even in circulated grades. The majority of collectors don't notice this, don't know the process, or simply don't care and as always the TPGs are clueless and will give out EPQs and PPQs to bleached notes with faded designs like they're handing out candy on Halloween"

Once again I agree with Master Shake, and a BIG THANK YOU to yingyang for showing all of us the images of the notes he has "collected".

Like I've always said, Learn how to grade, it doesn't matter if your just "in it for the money" you think you can make off of collectors, or if your a real collector and are trying to put together a type set or etc.

Like one member put it, I don't remember his exact words but it went something like this.

I am a Currency Collector, I don't care if the price is going up, down, or staying the same. I don't collect so I can make money off other collectors, I collect because I enjoy it and enjoy building my collections.

Never for get that a lot of TPG's cant grade much better than the collector that has been at it for a year or two.

In fact it more or less has been proven right here, that a few guys that graded the notes I showed came closer to the correct grade just by looking at photos than the graders that actually had the notes in hand and graded them, and you would be very surprised at what you "cant see or feel" when a note is sealed in plastic.

Keep on collecting and building your collections, but be very careful about what you buy, it may not be what you think it is, especially if the note has already been graded, again, you may be surprised at what you "cant see or feel" when a note is sealed in plastic.

Somewhere I have a group of about five or six Photos of Raw notes in not so nice condition, then they were, as some would say "doctored", then sent in for grading, if I remember correctly only two of them came back as "possibly" being messed with, the others came back in a much higher grade than what they originally were. That proved to me that the TPG's were not "Gods", they were just guys that may have less experience than some collectors. I looked for these photos to up load with with this post but couldn't find them on this computer, I know I have them, but I have three computers and I'm not sure what one there on, when I do find them I'll up load them to this tread.

BTW,
One last thing, when I was reaching all of this a few years ago I found out that just about every town of any decent size has a "note doctor", you just have to sniff him out.

I am sure that a lot of guys want to know how it's done but that info is not going to come from me.
Regards
Bill Collector