World banknotes have become a fun and engaging ancillary to my collection. I toyed with the idea of starting a numismatic YouTube channel to share my collecting journey, and I realized that the varied subjects of world banknotes could provide a steady source of video topics. So I created History in Your Wallet and thus far posted three videos! I'm planning to post twice a month, which seems doable. As I add videos, I'll share them here. Always appreciate feedback, questions, and comments from the CCF!
My newest YouTube video is live! This is my first theme video, focusing on bridges that appear on world banknotes.
I'm experimenting with different types of videos. Unboxing videos will be consistent, but I've also tried a series focus video with the 1995 Tongan notes and now this theme video. Let me know what you think, and if I should continue with theme videos, what themes would you suggest?
I watched, learned & "liked" your video! You taught me a number facts I had not known about my notes from Barbados, Estonia & Netherland Antilles. Great job!
IndianGoldEagle (who we started to refer to as IGE) started a thread in 2021 for notes that featured Bridges: https://goccf.com/t/403189 Most of the CCF collectors who posted on this thread do not delve into the geography nor the history behind the bridges (as you do) but they post a lot of notes over the course of 4 years! Years ago, I started seeking notes with Scientists: https://goccf.com/t/262912
Personally, I enjoy theme-based video content more than unboxing videos & hope you continue. I have always preferred the more challenging themes to explore (like notes with lighthouses over notes that have lots of zeros) though the idea to collect this way came late to me.
About 4 years ago, I created a World Motif/theme page on my site. The main idea behind it was to give young collectors some ideas on what others collect. You might also find it helpful if you're looking for examples of specific themes/motifs or other criteria some collect: https://sites.google.com/view/notap...tifs-back-up
Thank you, walk2dwater, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Those are all great ideas and fantastic resources!
I will definitely continue with the theme videos. So far the bridge video hasn't performed as well as I hoped, but it may not be the most exciting theme. I haven't decided what my educational video will be for June, but I do have another unboxing video coming up later this month.
Quote: Thank you, walk2dwater, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Those are all great ideas and fantastic resources!
-I'm glad you like some of the ideas/resources since that's my hobby (trying to keep my site/our paper money hobby healthy & relevant).
Quote: So far the bridge video hasn't performed as well as I hoped, but it may not be the most exciting theme.
Try not to be discouraged. I don't believe it has anything to do with the "excitement" factor. And the following, below, is why: I have spent better parts of a day creating my early YT videos and they all had less than 500 views by the end of the year. It's partly b/c banknotes are collected by only a small fraction of coin collectors & its partly b/c you have to work at getting the word out there that you've started your channel (share your video channel link everywhere!). If you don't publicize it, nobody will know it is out there & it will remain buried. If you're sponsored (making $ for YT then your channel is pumped further & everyone will know about it). I have been watching several YT videos over the past 2 months & created this thread on Numisat: https://en.numista.com/forum/ecrire...p?re=172302& Today, I added a link to your channel (hope it helps)! Just aside (& speaking of the 1000 subscription rule), I saw one content creator who dumps a pile of rags & chuckles that he'll resell every single one & make 2 to 3X what he paid for them on ebay. He's difficult to understand, "dry as toast" & yet has 1500 subscriptions (only reason I found his channel). I don't like to criticize b/c I know the work involved but his videos I would definitely put in the "fugly" category yet the channel is super popular (he found his niche).
So that is my situation it remains buried due to under 1000 subscribers (& I have actually made posts on several forums about launching my site). There are also content creators who discuss strategies to make your channel more popular (like finding your niche) which may also help. Keep plugging away! You'll get there!
Quote: I'm glad you like some of the ideas/resources since that's my hobby (trying to keep my site/our paper money hobby healthy & relevant).
Absolutely! Your website is a fantastic reference that I've learned so much from!
Quote: Try not to be discouraged. I don't believe it has anything to do with the "excitement" factor. And the following, below, is why:
Those are all very good points. Thank you for the encouragement!
In my real work outside the hobby, I created a business YouTube channel from the ground up and faced a lot of the same frustrations. I definitely learned many lessons in patience! But it's also a lot of fun, and I've enjoyed getting back into it.
Quote: I have been watching several YT videos over the past 2 months & created this thread on Numisat: https://en.numista.com/forum/ecrire...p?re=172302& Today, I added a link to your channel (hope it helps)!
Quote: ...Your website is a fantastic reference that I've learned so much from!
Thanks a lot. Often I feel like giving it up so its really gratifying to hear that 1 collector appreciates it now & again.
Quote: In my real work outside the hobby, I created a business YouTube channel from the ground up and faced a lot of the same frustrations.
Then you know far more than I do (& I apologize if I stepped out of line offering advice). I have watched Shane Hummus as well as many coin & banknote hobby channels & I still don't understand audiences of YT. For example, I don't understand why some channels are as dry-as-toast (or so super niche, I had no interest to check out) & yet they have 100K to a million subscribers!
But I did discover something interesting yesterday. Sometimes the reality is as plain as the nose on our faces & yet hard to see for that exact reason. We also get believing our own rules, world views & schemas a bit too much. I convinced myself that most collectors collect notes b/c they're tough (even though many don't).
I stumbled on this AAR Data channel I subscribed to (via my wife's channel) a year ago: https://www.youtube.com/@AARDataYT/videos He is a 17 YO who puts together a slickly edited package which just examines the banknotes series (what they feature, the important figures, buildings, nature + their security features). His videos remind me of "half-asleep-chris" quirky banknote videos (before he turned his attention to his cat). Many new & young Youtubers do similar info-graphic like videos that are mostly about the note (or national figures/symbols). I finally realized that many of today's younger collectors are not interested in how scarce a note is (no short signatures, prefixes, etc). They're far more interested in the anatomy of a banknote (the design elements, security strips & whether it glows in the dark using UV light). They're interested in optical devices, polymer & various substrate compositions (if they offer a different feel or level of security). This is one of the reasons we see so many "One from every nation" type collector who just wants to own an example (& are very quick to overlook condition).
I also saw that some of his videos have 11K views & most of his videos on Malaysia's Light Rail system have that many views. I think that's how he has surpassed 1K subscribers. Its like the other YT channels I mentioned on that Numista thread: they have coin collectors following them too. I also noticed that most of the better YT creators have: A) interesting weekly content (+ shorts) & great video editing skills B) passionate about the content they've organized (go a bit deeper into their subject than others) C) a good voice, extra links & other visuals to keep us engaged
Quote: Then you know far more than I do (& I apologize if I stepped out of line offering advice).
No certainly not, I will gladly take all the advice I can get!
Quote: I stumbled on this AAR Data channel I subscribed to (via my wife's channel) a year ago:
That's an interesting channel. Personally I find his delivery dry and boring, but apparently an over 1,600 people are okay with that!
Quote: I also noticed that most of the better YT creators have: A) interesting weekly content (+ shorts) & great video editing skills B) passionate about the content they've organized (go a bit deeper into their subject than others) C) a good voice, extra links & other visuals to keep us engaged
That is very good advice! I'm going to try experimenting with Shorts soon, along with community posts.
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I'm planning to post twice a month, which seems doable. As I add videos, I'll share them here. Always appreciate feedback, questions, and comments from the CCF! 
Posted 05/04/2026 5:00 pm
Those are all great ideas and fantastic resources! 
Your website is a fantastic reference that I've learned so much from!
But it's also a lot of fun, and I've enjoyed getting back into it.
Let me know what you guys think! 
