Error Notes
Error note collecting is very popular and one of the first types of notes that attract outsiders to the hobby. A general rule of thumb for errors is that the more noticeable the error is, the more value the note will have. Sadly, error note collecting can be dangerous because it is easy to “manufacture” errors yourself.
If you have an error note you want to sell, send us a picture of it and we can make an offer. The list below is quick listing of some errors and how they happen:
Shift Errors – These occur when a printing of the note doesn’t align with the note’s other two printings. These are some of the most commonly encountered errors.
Offset Errors – These are fairly common and happen when wet sheets touch each other leaving imprints of other notes on them.
Extra/Under Inking – These are very noticeable errors but generally don’t carry a huge premium. Certain parts (usually the black printed portions) will be too light or too dark, thus classifying them as errors.
Mismatched Serial Numbers – This is fairly self-explanatory; they occur when a note has two different serial numbers.
Fold-Over Errors – When a note is folded improperly when printed, strange parts of the notes get inked that shouldn’t. These often affect corners and can lead to serial numbers being on the reverse of the note.
Missing/Misplaced Prints – Notes are printed in three processes. This means that workers have to do several things correctly three times to print the note as we are used to seeing it. Sometimes they miss or mess up a step. This results in black seal or green seal and serials being out of place or completely missing.
Inverted Errors – These errors often go unnoticed because you have to bend the note to see both sides at once to identify them. For an inverted error to exist the front would be normal and the back upside down, or vice versa.
Cutting Errors – Cutting errors are some of the most noticeable and most valuable of errors. These happen when a sheet of notes is skewed when it is cut. This can lead to extra parts and strange looking additions.
Obstruction Errors – As the name suggests, during the printing something physically got in the way of the note causing the note to be blank where the obstruction was. These have even more value if the note still has the obstruction attached.
Double Denomination Errors – These are the kings of errors and the most valuable. They happen when a note is printed with one denomination on the front and different one on the bank. They rarely happen and are worth a lot of money.
