US Notes

rare currency

The Series 1886 $1 Silver Certificate Martha Washington: The Only Woman Ever Portrayed on a Small-Denomination US Note

by

The Series 1886 $1 Silver Certificate stands alone in American currency history as the only small-denomination note to feature a woman’s portrait, showcasing Martha Washington in stunning engraved detail. Understanding its varieties, signature combinations, and grading challenges is essential knowledge for any serious collector of Nineteenth Century paper money.

Read More →

The Series 1891 $10 Silver Certificate: Thomas Hendricks, a Dying Portrait, and One of the Lowest Survival Rates in Large-Size Currency

by

The Series 1891 $10 Silver Certificate features the portrait of Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks, a fleeting design that saw limited production and catastrophic attrition over 130 years. Collectors and historians alike regard this note as one of the most challenging large-size issues to acquire in any grade, making it a genuine white whale of American paper money.

Read More →

National Banks of the American West: Frontier Charters and Their Surviving Notes

by

From the gold camps of Colorado to the cattle towns of Kansas, the national banks chartered across the American West issued some of the most historically vivid and numerically scarce currency in all of U.S. numismatics. This guide walks collectors through the charter periods, territorial rarities, and survival rates that define this captivating corner of large-size collecting.

Read More →

The $10,000 Gold Certificate Series 1900: The Highest Denomination Note Ever Officially Released to the Public

by

The Series 1900 $10,000 Gold Certificate stands as one of the most extraordinary pieces of American paper money ever produced, a note of staggering face value that bridged the world of high finance and the golden age of U.S. currency. Understanding its origins, surviving examples, and place in numismatic history reveals why this note commands reverence far beyond its already astonishing denomination.

Read More →

The Gold Recall of 1933: How FDR’s Executive Order 6102 Killed Gold Certificates

by

On April 5, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6102 and effectively ended the era of circulating Gold Certificates in the United States overnight. For currency collectors, this moment created some of the most legally complex, historically significant, and financially valuable notes in all of American numismatics.

Read More →

The Series 1891 $100 Silver Certificate David Farragut Portrait: One of the Scarcest Large-Size Type Notes

by

The Series 1891 $100 Silver Certificate featuring Admiral David Farragut is among the most elusive large-size type notes in American currency history, with a surviving population so small that most collectors never encounter one in a lifetime of searching. This deep-dive covers its history, signature varieties, grading realities, and what you need to know if you ever get the chance to acquire one.

Read More →

The Series 1899 $1 Silver Certificate Black Eagle Star Notes: Why Replacement Notes from This Issue Are Among the Scarcest Small-Series Stars

by

The Series 1899 $1 Silver Certificate is one of the most beloved large-size notes in American currency history, but its star note replacements occupy a rarefied tier that few collectors ever hold in hand. This guide unpacks the printing history, known populations, and practical guidance for anyone chasing one of the great white whales of large-size paper money.

Read More →

The Series 1890 $20 Treasury Note: The Jewel Back Design and Why Only a Few Hundred Are Known to Survive

by

The Series 1890 $20 Treasury Note is one of the most visually spectacular and genuinely scarce large-size notes ever issued by the United States government. In this deep-dive, collectors will learn exactly what makes the Jewel Back design so extraordinary, how many survive today, and what to realistically expect when hunting one for your collection.

Read More →

The Series 1891 $50 Silver Certificate Edward Everett Portrait: An Almost Unknown Large-Size Type

by

The Series 1891 $50 Silver Certificate featuring Edward Everett is one of the rarest and most overlooked large-size notes in American numismatics, with surviving examples numbering in the dozens. This deep-dive explores its history, design, signature combinations, and why collectors fortunate enough to encounter one should treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Read More →

The Series 1922 $5 Gold Certificate: Porthole Notes and Why Collectors Chase High Grades

by

The Series 1922 $5 Gold Certificate is one of the most visually striking pieces of American paper money ever printed, featuring a circular vignette of Abraham Lincoln that collectors have nicknamed the ‘Porthole’ note. Understanding its design quirks, survival rates, and grading pitfalls is essential for anyone serious about building a meaningful Gold Certificate collection.

Read More →