poor cutting of a banknote by someone, in an attempt to remove flaws?

Note looks to otherwise be in AU condition, probably EF with this though. Not really pissed since I got this as part of a lot, but I didn't notice it at first, but the top looks misaligned. 

I can't stand how the top looks misaligned. Why would anyone cut the top but make it not straight? Slightly annoying. 

Hello,

This note could be trimmed, which of course would reduce its value. However, looking at your image, the margin on the bottom-left is smaller compared to the bottom-right as well. I think that this note was simply miscut at a slight angle, which isn't very rare. The note is also misaligned left-to-right if you compare the edges, so most likely this was how it rolled off the press. For trimmed notes, I would expect that the edges would be perfectly straight, but yours still has some waviness to it, and what looks to me like a few stray paper fibres, which would be absent if the edges were intentionally cut to be smaller. 

DoubleEggbert56

Hello,

 

This note could be trimmed, which of course would reduce its value. However, looking at your image, the margin on the bottom-left is smaller compared to the bottom-right as well. I think that this note was simply miscut at a slight angle, which isn't very rare. The note is also misaligned left-to-right if you compare the edges, so most likely this was how it rolled off the press. For trimmed notes, I would expect that the edges would be perfectly straight, but yours still has some waviness to it, and what looks to me like a few stray paper fibres, which would be absent if the edges were intentionally cut to be smaller. 

Now that you mentioned it, it does seem like a cutting “error”.

Thanks for pointing it out, I was so fixated on the top of the note that I did not even notice the bottom of the note was misaligned too. It seems the bottom of the note is actually even more miscut compared to the top. There probably isn't any reason why anyone would cut both the bottom and top this way, so I think it is probably a miscut by the machine too.

Guess it is a genuine miscut, although I don't quite get what you mean by how the edges would be perfectly straight, and how mine has some waviness to it. I can't really tell what you are talking about.

Thanks again for pointing it out. It's nice to get a second opinion, so I guess the note is probably an AU grade, considering there are slight marks of handling but no creases, and some dirt or whatever. But damn, the miscut sure is an eyesore.

Guess it is a genuine miscut, although I don't quite get what you mean by how the edges would be perfectly straight, and how mine has some waviness to it. I can't really tell what you are talking about.

….. But damn, the miscut sure is an eyesore.

It is NOT a cutting error. It simply that the design is not perfectly centred (with even borders).  This is very common but unfortunately there's a lot of social media “experts” out there who have been spreading misinformation. I don't believe that was @DoubleEggbert56 intention. But there has been a real trend out in Reddit (& other SM arenas) calling every slightly misaligned designed note a “Cutting error.” 

These notes are entirely within QC parameters. For a note to be “cut off centred” you typically need to see the border of the next note (for it to be considered an “error”)

Getting a note with the design perfectly centred is what collectors seek & believe me when I tell you that it is very difficult with some series (from some nations). The Bank of Canada must have had a lot of cross-eyed printers working for them in 1954 b/c you find more notes cockeyed & poorly centred from that series than any other. It might have been their technology at the time (or their rush to produce X amount of notes).  I have found this in other nations too (like the 1 Pesos Victory Series from the Philippines or the 1920 Monaco 50 Centimes (P-3) where most UNC examples are 63's and completely uncentered). 

BTW: that is a very nice example of the Malaya & British Borneo $1.00 IMO (they're not easy to get in high grades)

Serial_Number_8

Guess it is a genuine miscut, although I don't quite get what you mean by how the edges would be perfectly straight, and how mine has some waviness to it. I can't really tell what you are talking about.

….. But damn, the miscut sure is an eyesore.

It is NOT a cutting error. It simply that the design is not perfectly centred (with even borders).  This is very common but unfortunately there's a lot of social media “experts” out there who have been spreading misinformation. I don't believe that was @DoubleEggbert56 intention. But there has been a real trend out in Reddit (& other SM arenas) calling every slightly misaligned designed note a “Cutting error.” 

 

These notes are entirely within QC parameters. For a note to be “cut off centred” you typically need to see the border of the next note (for it to be considered an “error”)

 

Getting a note with the design perfectly centred is what collectors seek & believe me when I tell you that it is very difficult with some series (from some nations). The Bank of Canada must have had a lot of cross-eyed printers working for them in 1954 b/c you find more notes cockeyed & poorly centred from that series than any other. It might have been their technology at the time (or their rush to produce X amount of notes).  I have found this in other nations too (like the 1 Pesos Victory Series from the Philippines or the 1920 Monaco 50 Centimes (P-3) where most UNC examples are 63's and completely uncentered). 

 

BTW: that is a very nice example of the Malaya & British Borneo $1.00 IMO (they're not easy to get in high grades)

Oh I see, thanks for your valuable input regarding off-centred notes, didn't know it was so prevalent and how lax the QC was. 

I've known about off-centre notes, but this is the first time I've encountered notes where the paper isn't a perfect rectangle or something. Do you think this note is just a result of the machine cutting?   

Thanks, I live in Singapore so getting a nice graded one isn't too hard, you just got to wait for a good deal.

tokcliff

Do you think this note is just a result of the machine cutting?

Sometimes notes can be slightly off due to the block slipping when being cut down - this is more often seen with older notes, especially pre-1970s. It is uncommon, but definitely not regarded as an error.