“Time flies.” Perhaps not in all circumstances but certainly in this case. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the first post of The Paper Money Guy was published. Looking back, much has happened in the world and more specifically in the numismatic world.

It’s been a little over a year since the world has been exposed to King Charles III as the face of new British Pounds, after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away in September of 2022. It was also last year that Croatia came to adopt the Euro as its new currency.

In record setting news, some of Scandinavia’s oldest gold coins were sold at an auction, with the top possession having fetched $1.34 million (USD), while Japan introduced a new series (notes and coins), its first in 20 years. The new series integrates a slew of security features and loads of color, ushering in a new era of the Yen.

In other exciting developments, there was a lot of speculation about how much US $2 bills are worth and many news outlets covered this story. Some of them can fetch a pretty penny based on their rarity, special serial numbers, or persons who signed them. That said, not sure how many actually did a follow up to see how many lucky fortunes were uncovered. Either way, many consider the $2 bill to be “good luck.” However, in most cases, it is only worth its face value. I jumped on this $2 joyride and wrote up a post as well.

What I have enjoyed most over the past year though, is taking a deep dive into several notes, primarily the ones I posted about. This offered the opportunity to learn about their history, the personalities and cultural phenomena they feature. For me, it’s much like settling in with a good book and letting yourself drift away in its narrative.

I’ve also enjoyed acquiring a few notes to either complete sets I always meant to see through (i.e. the Turkey 200 Lira and the Netherlands Antillean 250 Guilder, featured below), as well as adding a few polymer notes to the collection.

I even asked friends traveling abroad if they could get their hands on any new bills. I always feel somewhat funny about asking for uncirculated notes, not exactly a small ask but some of it paid off, literally! A friend got me the most current Australian $100 note in perfect condition.

Other friends gave me banknotes they gathered from their travel experiences or mementos they kept around in their homes, an act I find to incredibly generous. It also taught me that a lot of people are passive collectors or appreciate paper money. Knowing this just warms me up inside.

German Weimar Republic Hyperinflation Mark Notes 1920s

Chinese Yuan from the 1980s

With one year in the books, I am excited for the next with more note spotlights, acquiring some new bills, creating a logo for the blog (maybe), and continuing to learn about the world of numismatics while enjoying collecting.

This goes without saying but here’s a big thank you to everyone who has inspired me, kept up with the posts and contributed to my passion by lending me part of their time and attention. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated, so let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see in an upcoming post!