Hi,
For the past two months, I’ve become fascinated with collecting banknotes. My collection is growing steadily. I’m particularly intrigued by banknotes from the period before the introduction of the Euro. I must admit that, in my collection, I value owning specific denominations over focusing solely on UNC (Uncirculated) banknotes 😊. Therefore, my collection includes used banknotes as well.
However, after this short time and having already gathered a number of banknotes, I decided to expand my knowledge about the history and background of these banknotes. This is where I’ve encountered a challenge. I must admit that I’m struggling to find engaging materials about these banknotes. I’m looking for interesting facts and additional information, mainly online, through blogs or YouTube channels. Here’s my problem: while I’ve managed to find a few good sources for Polish banknotes (which is, of course, a separate branch of my collection 😊), my resources for pre-Euro banknotes are very limited—beyond the dry facts that describe what’s depicted on the notes.
I’d love to find additional information such as:
- Series and print runs for different editions of banknotes
- Decisions related to the introduction of specific banknotes
- Information about designs and changes that occurred during the planning process for a particular denomination (sometimes these are fascinating short stories, like in the case of the Polish 50 złoty P#142 or 200,000 złoty P#155)
- Details about publishing issues, errors, weak security features, or counterfeiting
- Information about potential differences between banknotes and their origins
- The context in which a particular currency entered circulation—its value, and how it was perceived by society
Personally, I think that this extended history is a fantastic complement to a banknote in a collection.
Currently, I’m trying to gather additional information about Austrian banknotes. Primarily, I’m interested in Schillings from different series but also Kronen from the early 20th century (especially from the inflationary period). Do you happen to have any interesting sources, preferably online, related to this topic? If there are any offline resources, I’d also be happy to learn about them.