Why I Collect Banknotes: A Personal Story

Discovering the World Through Banknotes

I didn’t start collecting banknotes because I wanted to become a collector. I started because I love to travel.

At first, I only collected banknotes from my travels and didn’t care about their condition. After each trip, I would simply put the banknotes into a small bag.

For the past 12 years, I have lived as a minimalist digital nomad. All my belongings fit into two small backpacks, and in each new country, I would stay anywhere from one month to a year.

Living this way, I couldn’t imagine buying souvenirs from each country since even a fridge magnet didn’t fit into my set of essentials.

Over time, I started coming across articles about banknote collecting (notaphily), and one day I read a story about the biggest banknote collector in Vietnam. At that time, I was also in Vietnam, but I managed to meet him only during one of my later trips there. I will share that story another time.

As I learned more about banknote collecting, I realized that the value of many banknotes depends on their condition, series, and year of issue.

From then on, every trip to a new country began with searching for places where I could find and buy banknotes. I started choosing and buying them more carefully.

Banknotes as a Way to Learn History

Another reason I started collecting banknotes was to learn more about history. One day, I was on a seven-hour local bus ride from Siem Reap to Krong Stung Treng in Cambodia and started to wonder what had happened in that exact place 100 years ago. Banknote collecting helped me find answers, as it requires constant research into specific historical periods.

Every banknote I brought back from my travels told a story about the country, its people, and its past.

A faded Cambodian banknote reminded me of dusty roads and morning markets. A bright polymer banknote from Brunei carried the scent of rain and the calm streets of Bandar Seri Begawan. Over time, these small pieces of paper became more than just souvenirs—they became a way to understand the world and even a form of investment.

Meeting People Through Banknotes

Collecting banknotes has led me to meet other collectors, street vendors, and antique dealers in different countries. It became a reason to visit local markets and small shops while traveling. Searching for banknotes often led to unexpected conversations with people, stories about their families, and local tips you would never find in a guidebook.

Why I Created This Website

I created this website to share my experience and help others discover the world of banknote collecting. Whether you are a traveler wanting to keep a piece of each country or someone looking for a new hobby, I hope you will find inspiration here.

On this site, I plan to publish guides on how to start collecting banknotes, stories about rare finds, and useful resources to help you build your collection in a structured way. My goal is to make your journey into the world of banknotes interesting and mindful.

Let’s Discover the World Together

If you are interested in the beauty of banknotes, the stories they hold, or the process of searching for them in markets around the world, you are in the right place. I would be happy if you explore the site, leave your comments, and share your stories.

Welcome to yourbanknote.com – let’s discover the world through banknotes, one journey at a time.