There’s No Place Like Home, or Kansas

by Bill Brandimore

I’m back from the Kansas City show. The most enjoyable thing for me was seeing old friends from all over the country. We picked up right where we were a year ago. I’ve been going to the Memphis/Kansas City show since 1986. I found one note at Glen Jorde’s table, bought a few obsolete notes that just appealed to me, and bought some checks from Larry Marsh.

Checks can be fun, as they may have really cool vignettes, or come from a National Bank that you just can’t find. They are also inexpensive, running $2 or $3 dollars and up. I also visited with Tom Denly who likes Continental and Colonial currency. It’s old, interesting, and with the 250th anniversary of Independence coming up in 2026 it could heat up, just as Confederate currency did in the 1960s. Lyn Knight and I also talked and we agreed that if you want paper money you’ve got to come to Kansas City.

World currency continues to lead the way, as more and more collectors discover this vast area of collecting. Small and Large Size U.S. notes seemed stronger. People online and a few individual dealers who made up most of the rather small number of bidders in the hall dominated bidding. Small live attendance seems to be the norm for the past few years.

A lot of clubs were represented at the show. John and Nancy Wilson held down the ANA table, Roger Urce was manning the International Bank Note Society table, and the Society of Paper Money Collectors were there in force.

I spent a lot of time at the Fractional Currency Collector Board table and a dozen members of the club went out to dinner at Jack Stacks BBQ restaurant. We all had a good time and are already looking forward to next year. The Society of Paper Money Collectors held their annual breakfast at Union Station and also sponsored prize money for the exhibits.

Great notes were on display and I lost the list of exhibitors so I can’t share that with you. My friend Jerry Fochtman, however, won the Federal issue category and also the award for best one-case exhibit. If you come next year, bring an exhibit, as that doubles the fun.

Three exciting double denomination notes were offered. An 1882 Value Back $50/$100 in PGCS 50 from the Colombia NB of Buffalo brought a bit over $50,000, with auction fees. A consecutive pair of 1918 Federal Reserve Banknotes, $1 and $2 double denominations, estimated at $70 to $75K in PCGS Very Fine 20 grade failed to sell. A Small Size 1974 FRN $20/$10 double denomination in PCGS 64 PPQ sold for a bit over $30,000 with buyer’s fees.

National Bank Notes were well represented, which seems to be a hallmark of a Lyn Knight auction. Especially interesting was the large number of Circus Poster Brown Backs, Value Backs, and Date Backs. They are the Cadillacs of Nationals. Coming up next is the ANA show in Chicago, which I’ll report on in our next issue.

The Chicago Coin Club is celebrating their 100th anniversary and a gala banquet is planned. One of the favors at the banquet will be a special edition of the Red Book, which is already listed at $75 in the new jumbo Red book. Contact me at billbrandimore@charter.net