About KD

KD Currency, Inc. is a family owned and operated business located in Northern California run by Daren Barry. Daren specializes in Small Size U.S. High Denomination Federal Reserve Notes (FRN's), specifically $500, $1000, $5000, and $10000 Bills. We also handle Gold Certificates. Although trade shows are attended on a regular basis KD Currency Inc is strictly an on-line company. People always ask, "How did Daren get started in Numismatics?" Here it is straight from the horse's mouth!

I started collecting Two Dollar bills when I was a kid. For a long time I kept every Two Dollar bill I could find. I hoarded twos from the banks at Christmas time. As I got older I started collecting bricks of twos. For those unfamiliar with bricks, a brick is 1000 brand new uncirculated bills still in their plastic wrap from the BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing). I was fascinated with all those brand new bills. Better than the smell of a new car with leather interior. So I started upgrading my collection of random twos for bricks. Of course that led to collecting bricks of ones, twos, fives (the list goes on). Before too long I had quite a collection of bricks.

While thinking about what to do with all the bricks I remembered a day back in the late 70's when my grandfather showed me a $500 (before he died in 1981). Back then, I didn't even know higher (higher than 100's) denoms even existed.

Then it dawned on me, why not focus this money on $500's? I bought my first $500 from a coin shop in Scottsdale, AZ. He had two 500's. He wanted $675 for a rag with rips, tears, writing, & pin holes (in F or Fine condition)... or $700 for a VF Very Fine New York $500 with a bank stamp. It was a no-brainer! The girl I was with at the time thought I was nuts spending $700 for a Five Hundred Dollar Bill. The guy wouldn't take my check (at the time) so I had to borrow the $700 cash from another friend I was with. Thanks Ron! I still have the note. I eventually sent it to PCGS Currency and had it graded. It came back a VF 30.... and the coin shop takes my checks on a regular basis!

I actually kept the first two notes I bought, they both are graded by PCGS Currency and are in problem free VF 30 holders... and they say, "Daren's First $500" and "Daren's Second $500." Someday (hopefully later than sooner) these will be passed on to my two kids. So I really got into high denoms by buying my 3rd and fourth 500 and selling them. Two notes at a time went to four at a time, then 10 at a time. Before I knew it, I was buying and selling 10, 20, 50, 100 notes a month.