Los Gatos Collection


Set Type: Fractional Currency, Complete Circulation Issue, P1226-P1381
Owner: Los Gatos Collection
Last Modified: 1/19/2024
Views: 669

Rank: 1
Score: 225123
Leading by: 44632
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Set Description:
Usually when I tell people that I collect fractional currency, I have to explain what fractional currency is as most folks are unfamiliar with the term. Fractional currency came into existence because of the civil war (1861-1865). After the war started, the people living in the country (I would say the United States, but we really weren’t united at that moment of time), started to hoard all the hard currency made of gold, silver and even copper.
As a result, small change was scarce, making simple transactions difficult. People turned to many substitute items, such as using postage stamps for change. The stamps worked, but became worn and sticky very quickly from use. Some people put several stamps in a small envelope with a stated value printed on them to use for change. Better, but the practice created a postage stamp shortage.
Taking the idea of using images that the people already knew, the US Treasurer Francis E. Spinner, designed the first Postage currency by pasting up some samples with actual stamps. The first of five series were named postage currency since they used the same images as current stamps of the time. The remaining 4 series were designated as fractional currency by the US Treasury.
Postage currency notes were perforated just like stamps or with straight cut edges. Different size notes and odd denominations like 3 cents and 15 cents were printed with a variety of different color inks and papers makes this an interesting set to collect. Some of the notes are even hand signed by the US Treasurer and Register. The last fractional currency was printed in 1876, about a dozen years after the war ended.
Counterfeiting of the new fractional currency notes became a problem. New designs were issued every few years to thwart counterfeiters. Images of Washington, Jefferson, Lady Liberty and Columbia as well as many others are on the 128 varieties of the notes that make up the complete PMG set.
The Los Gatos Collection is working set: I am always trying to update the notes I have with better ones, when I can afford to do so. Key attributes for upgrading the collection include notes that are printed clear with bright surcharges; centered well on both the front and back; cut straight and not into the design; good clear margins; signed without the ink burning holes through the paper; and notes with exceptional paper quality. Finding notes with all these attributes is quite challenging.
The collection has taken many years to put together as some of these notes are very scarce, especially so in uncirculated condition. Reaching for the difficult ones when they become available is a common theme. 105 of the notes (76%) in this set are graded EPQ by PMG. Three have the elusive star and 20 are Top Pop notes. All but 11 of the notes are CU notes. My favorite note is the 15-cent Fr. 1269 with the image of Columbia on it. Not the highest graded note or rarest, but a design I like with an interesting denomination. All have images, so please take a look, enjoy and maybe even start your own set.

 
Slot DescriptionGradeCert NumberScore
Third Issue 3c Fractional Note Fr. 122666 EPQ 2079772-002 1163
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Third Issue 3c Fractional Note Fr. 122765 EPQ 2079772-004 1333
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First Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 122864 2079374-001 1303
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First Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 122965 EPQ 1991510-014 1799
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First Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123065 EPQ 8088894-008 990
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First Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123163 EPQ 2079374-004 1106
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Second Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123266 EPQ 2079374-019 994
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Second Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123366 EPQ 2079374-020 1156
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Second Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123463 EPQ 2079374-021 882
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Second Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123563 EPQ 2508522-006 1688
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Third Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123665 EPQ 1740407-012 1393
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Third Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123764 EPQ 2079374-045 1581
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Third Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123866 EPQ 2509209-003 1082
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Third Issue 5c Fractional Note Fr. 123966 EPQ 2079772-005 1380
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First Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124063 EPQ 2079909-002 1321
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First Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124164 2079374-006 1668
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First Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124266 EPQ 1858245-001 1079
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First Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124365 EPQ 1997093-004 1609
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124465 EPQ 2079374-023 990
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124563 EPQ 2079374-024 719
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124664 EPQ 2079374-025 1309
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124764 EPQ 1994326-003 1448
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 1248AU 58 2079906-016 2433
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Second Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 124963 EPQ 2079374-028 1817
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125168 EPQ 2079906-002 1732
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125266 EPQ 2079772-006 1940
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125365 EPQ 2079377-001 1609
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125467 EPQ 2079906-003 1989
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125566 EPQ 2079377-004 1239
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Third Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125666 EPQ 1529217-001 1310
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Fourth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125765 EPQ 2079772-015 1138
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Fourth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 125865 EPQ 2079772-016 1066
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Fourth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 1259 67 EPQ 2019828-004 1306
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Fourth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 126166 EPQ 2079772-018 1162
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Fifth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 126465 EPQ 2079772-035 1450
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Fifth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 126566 EPQ 2079772-036 741
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Fifth Issue 10c Fractional Note Fr. 126665 EPQ 2079772-037 674
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Fourth Issue 15c Fractional Note Fr. 126767 EPQ 2079772-020 1497
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Fourth Issue 15c Fractional Note Fr. 126865 EPQ 2079906-021 3126
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Fourth Issue 15c Fractional Note Fr. 126964 EPQ 1994029-001 1268
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Fourth Issue 15c Fractional Note Fr. 127166 EPQ 2079772-024 1509
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First Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 127965 EPQ 1992845-003 1799
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First Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128064 EPQ 2079374-010 2266
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First Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128165 EPQ 2079374-011 1138
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First Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128263 8087718-001 1609
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128365 EPQ 1994093-008 1138
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128463 2079374-030 1066
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128562 2079374-031 997
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128665 EPQ 1700687-003 1609
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 1286a63 2079909-008 1066
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128864 1994093-006 1604
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 128964 EPQ 2079772-001 2147
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Second Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129063 EPQ 2079374-036 1715
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129165 EPQ 5014227-003 1609
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129265 EPQ 2079377-009 1799
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129465 EPQ 2079377-011 1138
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129566 EPQ 1994093-002 1382
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129664 EPQ 2079908-004 4740
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129764 EPQ 2079377-015 1701
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 129865 EPQ 2079906-004 2464
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 1299AU 55 2079772-007 2292
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Third Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130063 2079908-001 4431
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Fourth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130164 EPQ 1024770-002 1087
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Fourth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130264 1505175-009 1066
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Fourth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130365 EPQ 8017909-016 1450
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Fourth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130765 EPQ 2079772-029 1333
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Fifth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130866 EPQ 1525417-031 994
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Fifth Issue 25c Fractional Note Fr. 130967 EPQ 2079772-040 986
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First Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131063 2079374-013 1450
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First Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131163 EPQ 2079374-015 1870
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First Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131265 EPQ 1513893-008 1066
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First Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131363 EPQ 2079374-017 2433
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131664 EPQ 2079374-037 1445
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131764 EPQ 2079374-038 1408
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 131864 EPQ 2079374-039 1453
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132064 EPQ 2079374-040 1813
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132162 EPQ 2079374-041 1822
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Second Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132265 EPQ 2079374-042 1886
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132466 EPQ 2079377-017 1842
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132565 EPQ 2079906-005 2754
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132665 EPQ 1616432-012 1707
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132766 EPQ 2079906-006 2034
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132866 EPQ 2079906-007 2284
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 132965 EPQ 2079377-020 2335
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133065 EPQ 2079908-002 4935
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133164 EPQ* 2079377-021 1493
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133264 2079906-008 1531
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133365 EPQ 2079377-022 1609
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133466 EPQ 2079906-009 1740
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133563 EPQ 2079377-024 1287
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1336AU 58 EPQ 2079772-008 3209
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133766 EPQ 2079906-010 2205
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133864 EPQ 2079906-011 2072
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 133967 EPQ* 2079906-012 1808
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134064 EPQ 2079377-026 2219
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134164 2079377-027 1531
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134264 EPQ 2079377-028 1722
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134365 EPQ 2079906-013 1707
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134463 2079377-030 3984
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134563 2079377-031 1393
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134663 EPQ 2079377-033 1503
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134763 EPQ 2079377-034 1448
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 134863 EPQ 2079377-035 3895
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1349AU 53 2079377-036 1073
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135063 EPQ 2079377-037 1808
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135564 2079377-038 1583
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135663 EPQ 2079377-039 1565
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135764 EPQ 2079906-014 4403
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135863 2079377-040 1450
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 135963 EPQ 2079906-015 3413
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136065 EPQ 1994092-008 2124
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136163 EPQ 2079377-043 1653
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136263 EPQ 1019530-003 1321
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1363AU 55 2079377-046 1303
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136464 EPQ 5014228-017 1638
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136563 EPQ 2079377-050 1564
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136665 EPQ 1527243-032 1886
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1367AU 55 2079908-003 3103
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136863 2024072-008 2124
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 136962 EPQ 5005088-001 2058
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 137063 EPQ 2079772-013 1959
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1371AU 55 2079906-018 3172
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 137265 EPQ 2079906-019 2885
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Third Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1373AU 58 2079772-014 1505
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Fourth Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 137465 EPQ 2079772-030 2614
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Fourth Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 137665 EPQ 1992530-006 1707
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Fourth Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 137966 EPQ 2079772-034 1312
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Fifth Issue 50c Fractional Note Fr. 1380/138166 EPQ 1524855-008 1382
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All Set Notes/Scores

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