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| Slot: |
1886 $5 Silver Certificates FR 259-265 |
| Item: |
Silver Certificate
$5 1886 Large Size |
| Grade: |
PMG 65 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1015395-005
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Owner Comments
The series of 1886, often called the "Grant" or "Silver Dollar Back" depicts Ulyssis Simpson Grant, born on April 27th, 1822 & died on July 23rd, 1865.
Grant was a Commanding General of the Union Army during the American Civil War & our 18th President from 1869-1877.
Obverse of note shows Grants portrait engraved by Lorenzo James Hatch & reverse shows 5 Silver Dollars.
The U. S. Treasury Seals came in four different styles - small red, plain, large red with spikes, large brown with spikes & small red scalloped.
The notes came with 4 different Register of the Treasury & Treasurer of the United States signature combinations - William Starke Rosecrans (served from June 8, 1885 to June 19, 1893) with Conrad N Jordan (served from May 1, 1885 to March 23, 1887, James W. Hyatt (served from May 24, 1887 to May 10, 1889), James N. Huston (served from May 11, 1889 to April 24, 1891) & Enos H. Nebeker (served from April 25, 1891 to May 31, 1893).
Unlike most notes, where the face is the most important feature, this note gained popularity because of its back design. Five Morgan Silver dollars, dated 1886, fill almost the entire back of the note. They represent the amount of silver coinage for which the bill could be redeemed for at that time.The reverse of four of the dollars shows the phrase "In God We Trust" on U. S. currency for the first time.
In 1957, motto was adopted for use on U.S. currency.
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| Slot: |
1891 $5 Silver Certificates FR 266-267 |
| Item: |
Silver Certificate
$5 1891 Large Size |
| Grade: |
PMG 65 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1015395-004
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Owner Comments
The series of 1891, or "Grant", has nearly the same obverse design as the 1886 note.
While the series of 1886 notes came with four different U. S. Treasury Seals (small red plain, small red scalloped, large red with spikes & large brown with spikes), the 1891 note comes with a small red scalloped seal only.
The series of 1891 notes came with 2 different Register of the Treasury & Treasurer of the United States signature combinations.They were William Starke Rosecrans (served from June 8, 1885 to June 19, 1893) With Enos H. Nebeker (served from April 25, 1891 to Mat 31, 1893) and James fount Tillman (served from July 1, 1893 to December 2, 1897) with Daniel Nash Morgan (served from June 1, 1893 to June 30, 1897.
The reverse of the note has been redesigned because the treasury felt that it was too "busy", which would make it too easy to counterfeit. More open space was incorporated into the new design to help solve this problem.
Ulyssis Simpson Grant was featured on several different pieces of U. S. currency including the following -
15 cent Fractional Currency 4th issue.
$1 Silver Certificate series of 1899.
$5 Silver Certificate series of 1886 & 1891.
$5 Silver Certificate series of 1896 (reverse).
$50 Federal Reserve notes 1914 & later.
$50 Federal Reserve series of 1918.
$50 Gold Certificates series of 1928.
$50 National Bank Notes from the series of 1929.
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| Slot: |
1896 $5 Silver Certificates FR 268-270 |
| Item: |
Silver Certificate
$5 1896 Large Size |
| Grade: |
PMG 65 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1015395-003
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Owner Comments
The series of 1896, often referred to as the "Educational" note, was taken from a mural painted by Walter Shirlaw after his appointment by the Treasurt Department in 1893. The mural shows "Electricity Presenting light to the World" an Allegorical group showing electricity as the world's dominant force.Central engraving was done by George Fredrick Cumming Smillie, with border design and engraving done by Thomas F. Morris.
Reverse shows busts of Ulyssis S. Grant the 18th president of the United States & Phillip Sheridan, both Union Army Generals during the Civil War.
The portraits of the Generals were engraved by Lorenzo James Hatch, with the remainder engraved by George Fredrick Cumming Smillie, after Thomas F. Morris's design.
The series of 1896 notes came with the small red U. S. Treasury Seal only.
The series of 1896 notes came with 3 different Register of the Treasury and Treasurer of the United States signature combinations.
The naked breasts of the female figures on the $5 Silver Certificate reportedly caused some minor controversy when several Boston society ladies took offense to the design.
Some bankers reportedly refused to accept the notes in transactions, and the term "Banned in Boston" allegedly originates from the $5 Silver Certificate.
Because of this controversy, the Educational Series of $1, $2 and $5 notes were discontinued after only 3 years to be replaced by the series of 1899 notes.
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| Slot: |
1899 $5 Silver Certificates FR 271-281 |
| Item: |
Silver Certificate
$5 1899 Large Size |
| Grade: |
PMG 65 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1015395-002
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Owner Comments
The series of 1899, commonly called the "Chief" note, shows bust of Thathoka Inyanke, also known as Running Antelope, who beginning in 1851 became a head Chief of the Hunkpapha tribe of Sioux Indians.Born in 1821 & died in 1896
Portrait was engraved by George Fredrick Cumming Smillie.
This is the only issue of U. S. paper money for which a Native American was selected as the central feature.
The image on the note caused some controversy among many Native Americans; the image shows Running Antelope wearing a Pawnee head dress since his Sioux head dress was too tall to fit on the note.
The switch precipitated not only a political scandal, but caused additional ill will between the Sioux and Pawnee peoples.
Early Silver Certificates often had red, brown of blue serial numbers & seals.
Beginning in 1899, serial numbers & seals on the $1, $2 & $5 notes were officially & permanently changed to blue.
During World WarII, the government issued series 1935A $1 Silver
Certificates with a brown seal for Hawaii.Also produced was a series 1935A $1 & a series 1934A $5, both with yellow seals, for North Africa distribution.
The series of 1899 Silver Certifiates came with 11 different Register of the Treasury & Treasurer of the United States signature combinations.
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1923 $5 Silver Certificates FR 282 |
| Item: |
Silver Certificate
$5 1923 Large Size |
| Grade: |
PMG 65 EPQ |
| Cert #: |
1015395-001
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Owner Comments
The series of 1923, or "Porthole" note, shows the bust of Abraham Lincoln & was engraved by Charles Kennedy Burt from the Anthony Berger photo of February 9, 1864.The photo was taken at the Mathew B. Brady studio located in Washington D. C.
Lincoln was born February 12th, 1809 & died on April 15th,1865 & was our 16th President from 1861 until his assassination on April 15th, 1865.
The note is commonly known as the "Porthole" note because of the circular design around Lincoln"s head.
Reverse shows the Great Seal of the United States with rays emanating away from it.
Unlike the other small denomination ($1, $2 & $5) Silver Certificates of the 1886-1923 time period, this is the only note to have only one signature combination, Harley V. Speelman (Register of the Treasury) & Frank D. White (Treasurer of the United States).
The 1923 notes also came with only a blue U. S. Treasury Seal.
On August 20, 1925, Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon appointed a committee to investigate possible advantages (reduced cost-increased production speed) to issuing smaller sized United States banknotes.
In May, 1927, the committees recommendations for the size reduction & redesign were accepted.
On July 10, 1929, the new small-size currency was issued.
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