u/iconic_trader

I’ve been getting more into bank strap hunting lately and I’m curious what people here have actually found from normal bank straps.

What’s your best find so far? Star notes, older series, fancy serials, errors, birthday notes, web notes, anything like that.

Also, for people who do this a lot: what denominations have been the most worth searching in your experience? I feel like $1s and $5s seem the most realistic, but I’m curious what everyone else thinks.

I’m still pretty new to paper money collecting and I’m curious where people have had the best luck finding interesting notes in the wild.

Besides the obvious stuff like eBay, coin shops, and major auctions, what are some underrated places to look for cash that may or may not end up being rare? I’m thinking things like banks, estate sales, antique stores, old family collections, register tills, local auctions, etc.

Not asking for anyone’s secret spot, just trying to learn where experienced collectors actually find cool U.S. paper currency without overpaying right away.

I tore my ACL back on April 30th playing basketball. When i got my MRI results just a week later, it showed a high grade tear, a sprained PCL, mildly complex meniscus tear, and a tibia fracture.

My surgeon put me in 2 sessions of PT and after those were done I felt a lot better. I actually have played very light basketball, I walk 10,000+ steps per day, and I have done other physical activities even though I have all of these injuries.

I have surgery scheduled for August 5th and i'm now spending every day overthinking it and wondering if it's the right move or not. I see all these posts about recovery and the pain and such, and i'm wondering if I really need to go through all of it if right now i'm doing okay.

My surgeon has done the Lachman test multiple times on my knee and is never able to get it to be unstable. He was getting ready to tell me that I don't need surgery when I informed him that I have had a few instances of it being unstable, such as when I pivot or bend my knee a certain way. But again, now i'm overthinking, is that actually instability or is it just pain?

My question is to people who are/were in my situation, where you are able to live your daily life about 90% normal, did you decide to get surgery? And everyone else, what do you recommend? I just need justification that I should do surgery and part of me feels like my ACL just isn't torn at all 😂 I'd appreciate any advice or feedback. Thanks!

I’m newer to collecting U.S. paper money and I’m trying to figure out the best way to expand my collection in a smart way.

Right now, I’m interested in notes that are historically interesting, visually appealing, or have some real collector demand. I don’t want to just buy cheap notes for the sake of having more pieces, but I also don’t have an unlimited budget, so I’m trying to be selective.

For longtime collectors, how do you decide what to buy next? Do you focus on one area like Nationals, Legal Tenders, Silver Certificates, errors, star notes, type notes, certain grades, etc.? Or do you collect more broadly?

Also, how do you tell the difference between a note that is actually worth stretching for and one that just looks interesting but probably won’t hold much value?

Any advice on building a collection with direction would be appreciated. I’d especially like to hear from people who have been collecting for a while and learned some lessons the hard way.

I’ve recently gotten more interested in collecting U.S. paper money, and I’m trying to actually learn the hobby instead of just randomly buying notes that look cool.

For people who have been collecting for a long time, how did you build your knowledge? Were there certain books, websites, auction archives, YouTube channels, dealers, shows, or habits that helped you understand what makes a note desirable?

I’m especially interested in learning how to identify different types of notes, understand condition/grading, recognize common vs. genuinely scarce pieces, avoid overpaying, and how to expand my collection in a smart way.

I've been fascinated by U.S. currency for as long as I can remember and am finally at a place in life where I can start taking it seriously.

I know experience is probably the biggest teacher, but I’d really appreciate advice from collectors who have been around the hobby for years. What would you tell someone newer who wants to take U.S. paper money seriously?

I'm making a 5 hour drive to see the Odyssey when it comes out in July. I was only able to get seats slightly right of center in row E.

I'm just curious what to expect, is this theatre comfortable? Will I have to look up the entire time?

Overall just want to know what to expect being in row E.

Either way, whether it's good or bad, it was the best seats available and i've been waiting forever to see a Nolan movie in IMAX.

Thanks!

Context: I'm 18 and in great shape. Injury is on left leg.

So a little over a month ago on April 30th I was playing basketball with one of my friends, we were just having a good time messing around and I twisted while jumping and felt and heard a loud deep pop and fell to the ground. I could put weight on my leg but (stupidly) decided to do a jumping jack to prove to myself that I was okay and my knee buckled and my leg went inward. I got an MRI the following week and the results were:

IMPRESSION

1. High-grade tear of the anterior cruciate ligament.
2. Mild sprain of the posterior cruciate ligament.
3. Mildly complex tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
4. Subchondral fracture of the posterior aspect of the medial tibial plateau.

Immediately I assumed that I would need surgery, however, after meeting with the surgeon, he decided to put me in PT. I was only able to do 2 sessions, but over the past month, i've gotten my range of motion and strength back in my leg. I was limping at work for a few weeks but am fully back to normal, and am actually able to play basketball as long as I don't push myself too hard.

My dilemma now: I have surgery scheduled for August because last time I met with the surgeon, I told him there were still some instances of giving out/buckling when I do certain movements. However, I think naturally I am looking for reasons to NOT have surgery now. Because at the start, it was "what if I need it" and now it's "what if I don't need it." And I would like advice from people who have gone through similar scenarios. Again, i'm 18, and have the rest of my life ahead of me. I don't want to worry about injuring myself further by not getting it fixed, but i'm also wondering if surgery is too extreme for my case.

I’m looking for personal experiences, especially from people who returned to normal daily life fairly quickly after the injury.

Thanks!

I tore my ACL, meniscus, and fractured my tibia about a week ago, have a meeting with the surgeon tomorrow to discuss surgery and everything.

Any last minute things I should enjoy before being in a huge brace + recovery for a little while? I can still move around pretty well and actually played basketball a few days ago with my friends.

Reading through all these posts is both comforting but also scary because I hate the idea of not being able to move around freely, especially going into the summer where I had tons of plans with friends.

How long after the surgery were you guys able to start playing sports/just living an active lifestyle again? I'm a very routined person so the idea of my life being put on pause for a while isn't the best feeling.

Or maybe i'm completely misunderstanding how the recovery works and i'll be good to go in a few weeks. I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions, thanks.

With The Fall-Off out and the world tour hitting 50+ cities, this feels like one of those career-summary moments for Cole. If you could guarantee one older song makes the setlist, what are you picking? Not necessarily his biggest song, but the one that would hit the hardest live.

There’s been a lot of “album mode” talk around Future again, and I’m wondering what people actually want from the next project. Toxic Future, pain Future, trap banger Future, HNDRXX-type melodic Future, or another Metro-level collab sound? Personally I think the best move would be a focused solo album with fewer features.

Enough time has passed since What Happened To The Streets? dropped that I feel like the first-listen hype has settled. Where are you ranking it compared to American Dream, I Am > I Was, and the Savage Mode projects? Better replay value, worse, or too early to say?

Now that Don is doing the 2026 OCTANE arena tour and added the “Don’s Garage” VIP experience, what track from OCTANE do you think is going to translate best live? I feel like Don’s music either becomes 10x better in a stadium/arena setting or gets slept on until people hear it with the full production.