Rarity Scale

By: Handini

All varieties of obsolete notes are quite rare. In the 1970's the Society of Paper Money Collectors published books by state on obsolete currency and provided the following scale:

R 1        ∞ – 200 notes known to exist

R 2     100 – 200 notes known to exist

R 3       50 – 100 notes known to exist

R 4       25 –   50 notes known to exist

R 5       10 –   25 notes known to exist

R 6         5 –   10 notes known to exist

R 7         1 –     5 notes known to exist

Source: Mississippi Obsolete Paper Money and Scrip, L. Candler Leggett (1975).

While this is the main scale implemented at identifying how rare a note is, it is not the only scheme used. South Carolina Obsolete Notes, by Austin M. Sheheen, Jr. (1960) uses a 15 point scale, with 15 being reserved for notes of 3 or less known to exist.