Condition of Old Currency

All Old Currency Is Not In Poor Condition

There is a misconception that if a note is very old that it is normal for it to be in terrible condition. The term “great shape for its age” really has no place in the world of collectible currency. Currency is graded purely on condition and age is never factored in. There are literally tens of thousands of notes from the 19th century that are in perfect condition. Furthermore, notes from the 1700s exist in uncirculated condition. On the same point, age does not really affect rarity. There are plenty of notes from 1862 that are much more common than some notes from 1929. Rarity is a factor of number of notes printed and survival rates, not just age.