USA RARE - ABOUT

How it came together ……

In the late sixties, my father William Baeder got involved in numismatics. He was intrigued by getting a blunder in change. Which is called an “ERROR”. A 1963 Series Five Dollar Federal Reserve note with a butterfly error. Learning from the local coin store it was worth more than $5.00. This is what now became the factor to find more. After the next few decades of collecting, this turned into me riding in the passenger seat of his 1979 Chevrolet El-Camino.

We were off to another Sunday ritual. Today was the Garden State Horse track. I was given $4.00 to get lost and run around the coin show. I ended up with 2-3 1960 SM-LG date pennies, Susan B Anthony, and Very Good Indian Penny, and for $1.00 I could get a handful of foreign coins out of that bucket. Getting told once again to give me another five minutes, my father was into another deal with Paper Money.

In 1996, I took my first plane ride with My father to Florida Fun Show, I was surprised at the size of the venue. While working at My father’s Garage pumping gas, I guy pulled into the shop in a Large Cadillac. Harry Forman. Harry would stop in with the craziest currency and coin additions. Enough for the Secret Service to come in questioning a run of #20 1988 $50.00’s with the over-print on the reverse. But will save that story for another day. My father was a buyer of many items. This was an outlet where I could buy coins from Harry, he was a wholesaler.  I opened up Usarare.com in 1997, selling coins. After 6-8 Months, I was able to place one of my father’s currency notes online, & on eBay. The note was quickly sold on eBay, at that time eBay had #200 items of currency online. That was the start of buying and selling.

In #2022, we celebrated Twenty-Five Years of buying and Selling Numismatics online. In this same year, I walked away from being an Auto and Truck Repair Technician of more than Thirty-Five Years. I have now concentrated on spending more time placing numismatical treasures in the collecting fraternity.

Over the course of Twenty-Five years dealing in Selling Us Currency, Usa rare was able to place some of the Rarest Special Serial numbers known in the hobby, Discovery notes, and countless Unique Error notes. Many are plate notes in various error books, small-size paper money guides, Bank Note Reporter, Ect. Once at the top of Internet searches for the Famous 1933 $10.00 A00000001A. Much to list.

Along that path of looking…   it can be rewarding, or regretful. In 1977, At the Adams Mark Hotel in Philadelphia on City line Ave, there was a coin and currency show, Ozzie’s Coin was set up there from Allentown PA, inside a pack of uncirculated and circulated $500 & $1000’s …. Was a 1928 $500.00 C00000001A. The price tag was $1700.00. Which was a crazy amount of money! Considering $1.00 Federal Reserve Notes with this same serial were selling at $150.00 each at the time. $500.00’s were $550.00 with a normal serial number. Ozzie held at $1500.00. Passing on the note which was a Saturday. It was a matter of having a hard time digesting the price. Monday Morning at 10 am the coin store opened, the phone was ringing…Ozzie picked up, it was Willie. Yes, Willie, I’m coming up there at 4 pm to get the note. Ozzie said I knew you would be calling me. It’s already put aside.  At the 2003 ANA Show in Baltimore Maryland, I was approached by once again another person asking about 1928 $500.00 C1A in the case, with the upside-down business card written “not for sale”. Persistent he wanted to talk to my father. Twenty Minutes later it was sold. I can clearly remember and will never forget my father coming back to the table saying “Bill, I need you to write me a receipt”. In shock, I thought is this a joke. But the man who wanted it was not playing around. It came to a point where my father said, quote: I’d be an idiot if I don’t take the offering on this? My father held on to the note for #26 years, it was a slight gut punch to see it leave. For years it was a spotlight in the case. Knowing it’s not my choice; it’s my father’s note.

After #21 years, the collector who owned the note passed away in 2021. The siblings decided to sell their fathers’ collection. Were the stars aligned? Serendipity? Always thinking I’d love to get this note back someday? For years, decades. Just thinking…… And in 2024.

Here I am sitting in my car coming back from the Tampa Florida show…. Auction is LIVE. Bidding begins, I push the button….   it was the longest wait before the hammer hit. & So be IT. The story does NOT end. “Speechless” that I got it back. Don’t think I can make this up. The car ride home was pretty emotional.

We have seen the change of hands with notes, collections broken up, faces that have left, and new ones that have arrived. When it comes to collecting and finds you get the stories, which are nothing but pure memories.

Providing Rare Collectible Currency for your Collection.

William “BILLY” Baeder

Few personal notes shown below.