BANK NOTE NICKNAMES

The AceMost likely the nickname derived from the playing card "Ace" - meaning one. The Ace notes refer to the One Dollar, 1st Charter period Original Series and Series of 1875 National Bank Notes. The center vignette is named Concordia with two female figures shaking hands. Most likely an allegory of North and South shaking hands representing the hope of peace as this design was issued during the Civil War. The Ace is ranked #45 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Original Series $1 National Bank Note Fr. #382

Pilgrim Rock
The Reverse center vignette is named Landing of the Pilgrims. In the left oval is a variation of the state seal where the bank’s city resides. The right oval is a Bald Eagle perched on an olive branch in front of a shield.

Barr NoteThe Series 1963-B $1 Federal Reserve Note was signed by Joseph W. Barr who only served 28 days, the shortest term of any Secretary of Treasury. There is a belief that he died in office - he did not. Barr was completing the remaining term of Henry H. Fowler who resigned as Secretary of Treasury one month before the end of President Lyndon B Johnson's term in December 1968. Barr died in 1996. Because of his short term collectors and the public in general saved these notes believing they were rare. They may be scarce but are far from rare. Over 340 million notes with Barr’s signature were printed and only on the $1 note. Only five Federal Reserve Districts issued the Series 1963-B $1 note; New York, Richmond, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco.﻿
Pictured:Series 1963-B $1 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #1902-J

The $1 Federal Reserve Note was officially authorized on June 4, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy signed Public Law 88-36. The legislation amended the Federal Reserve Act, granting the Federal Reserve the authority to issue notes in $1 and $2 denominations. The reason for the change was a rapidly depleting silver supply. Industrial demand for silver had pushed its market price to the point where the government needed to free up its silver bullion reserves and phase out the existing $1 Silver Certificates.

BattleshipIt’s obvious the nickname came from the reverse of the Series 1918 $2 Federal Reserve Bank Note (FRBN). The note has the vignette of the 573-foot USS New York, a battleship that saw action in two World Wars. Most likely used to display naval power of the United States during World War 1. This was the last large size $2 dollar note issued by the U.S. government. The Battleship Note is ranked #22 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1918 $2 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #772

The face has the classic portrait of Thomas Jefferson. FRBNs are not National Bank Notes but a failed attempt by the U.S. Treasury to replace them and issuance ceased in 1921.

It is ironic that Thomas Jefferson appears on U.S. currency as he was was one of the most vocal opponents of paper money and central banking in early American history. He vehemently distrusted fiat currency, famously describing it as "poverty," and arguing that "it is only the ghost of money, and not money itself."

BisonIssued from roughly 1901-1923 the Bison Note could be considered the only commemorative note issued by the U.S. government. It was undoubtedly designed to celebrate the centennial of the 1804-1806 Journey of Exploration led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the Louisiana Purchase. The identity of the Bison has long been in question. One theory is that it was a live Bison named Pablo at the Washington Zoo or a stuffed Bison at the Smithsonian. To this day there isn’t clarity. What is clear is that it was not the Bison from the 1913 nickel. The Bison Note is ranked #6 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1901 $10 United States Note Fr. #114

The reverse design is titled Progress, and features Columbia at center representing agriculture and flanked by columns. The open panels are there to show the red and blue security threads embedded into the paper.

Black Back1878 was the first Series of Silver Certificates issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. The reverses were printed with a very dark brown ink with a tint of blue. The ink was rich in iron oxide turning the dark coloring to black giving the notes their nickname. This was a marked change from the standard greenbacks. Issued in denominations of $10 through $1,000 these notes were backed by silver that was held by the Treasury. The $10 and $500 1878 Silver Certificates are ranked #63 and #64 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1878 $1,000 Silver Certificate Fr. #346d

Black EagleThe Black Eagle gets its name from the center vignette of the $1 1899 Silver Certificate. The design hastily replaced the Educational $1 1896 Silver Certificate for a variety of reasons and turned out to be one of the most iconic notes of U.S. currency. It’s the only U.S. currency note with two presidents on the Face and is ranked #16 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1899 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #226

This is not the first black eagle vignette. It was used more than 30 years earlier on the 1863 $10 Compound Interest Bearing Treasury Note and 1864 $10 Interest Bearing Note with both notes sharing the Black Eagle vignette with some variations.﻿
Pictured:
1864 $10 Interest Bearing Note Fr. #196a

The Bow TieThe Series 1891 $2 Silver Certificate reverse has the nickname as the “Bow Tie” because of its uniquely shaped design that represents the formal men’s necktie. In the late 1880s Bureau of Engraving & Printing design policy was changing to show more ‘white space’ on the reverse that revealed more of the anti-counterfeiting measure blue and red threads embedded in the paper.﻿
Pictured:Series 1891 $2 Silver Certificate  Fr. #246

Another minor nickname for this is the "Windom Note". The front features the portrait of William Windom, a Republican politician from Minnesota. He served in the House of Representatives, was a U.S. Senator and served as the Secretary of Treasury between 1881 and 1891 for three presidents.

Brown BackThe Brown Back nickname does not apply to one note but the series of $5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 notes that make up the 2nd Charter Period, 1st Issue of National Bank Notes. The Reverse is printed in a deep brown ink instead of the normal green. The detailed design has a large, bold, teal overprint of the bank’s charter number in the center. The design also incorporates a variation of the state seal that the bank was from in the left oval. The $100 (#26), $5 (#33), and $50 (#72) are ranked in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1882 $50 National Bank Note Fr. #513

The two vignettes on the Face of the Series 1882 $50 note are Washington Crossing the Delaware on the left and on the right is the illustration titled Prayer of a Revolutionary soldier kneeling with the allegory figures of Justice, Liberty and Peace behind him.

Coin NoteThe name comes from the legal obligation printed on the Series 1890 and 1891 Treasury Notes; "The United States of America Will Pay to Bearer Denomination Amount Dollars In Coin”. Treasury Notes were issued in $1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 1000 denominations and seven of the eight are ranked in 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. Treasury Notes are famous for their portraits. Seven of the eight have men played pivotal roles for the Union during the U.S. Civil War. The one exception was the fourth Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall was in on the $20.﻿
Pictured:Series 1890 $20 U.S. Treasury Note Fr. #374

So, what is a Treasury Note? Treasury Notes wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for unscrupulous silver mining interests and politicians. Imagine that. The lead up to Treasury Notes goes back to the discovery of The Comstock Lode in Nevada. It’s estimated that this one area produced over 700 million dollars of silver and gold from the late 1850s to 1920. That’s over 116 billion today. It couldn’t last forever. By 1880 the mines were coming close to being tapped out, but silver was still flooding the market. And by the end of the decade the price of silver had dropped to 70 cents an ounce. This resulted in western mine owners and politicians, with the backing of eastern business interests, wanting to keep the party going. That led to the passing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, also known as the Treasury Note Act of 1890.

Date BackThe Date Back notes get their name from the Series 1882 and 1902 National Bank Notes that had the dates 1902-1908 printed on the back. They were printed, and issued, as a result of the legislation Aldric- Vreeland Currency Act of May 30, 1908 also known as the “Emergency Currency Act” giving the Treasury Department the ability to expand the amount of currency in circulation as a result of the Panic of 1907. They were issued from 1908-1916. The Series 1882 $50 Date Back is ranked #87 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.﻿
Pictured:Series 1882 $50 National Bank Note Note Fr. #563 (Back)

Pictured:
Series 1882 $50 National Bank Note Note Fr. #533 (Front)Series 1902 $50 National Bank Note Note Fr. #670 (Front & Back)

Devil's FaceThe nickname derives from the original portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the 1954 Bank of Canada notes (fig.1) also known as the Landscape Series for the vignettes of the reverses. The engraving was taken from a photograph, with crown (fig.3), and completed in great detail. Such detail that the Queen’s hair could be said to have the face of the devil (fig.2) because every detail was engraved. The portrait was replaced in 1956 with the “modified” portrait (fig.4). The notes were issued in $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 and $1000 denominations.

Diamond BackThe "Diamond Back" nickname refers specifically to the Series 1886 $20 Silver Certificate. The banknote is famous for the intricate, abstract, diamond shaped geometric patterns on the backside.
Pictured:Series 1886 $20 Silver Certificate Fr. #316

The face features a portrait of Daniel Manning, a prominent American politician and businessman who served as the 42nd U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Grover Cleveland. Because Manning had recently passed away in 1887, the note served as a memorial to his service.

Dixie NoteThe story goes that Dixieland was named after this banknote from Louisiana. In general the Dix, or Dixie note has been attributed to the 1860s Obsolete $10 from the Citizen’s Bank of Louisiana. Several banks printed bilingual notes in English and French. The mispronounced French word for ‘Ten’ in French is ‘Dix’ (French pronunciation dee•se) and as the story goes so did the name Dixieland. But this is 100% pure bunk that has sadly been passed on to each generation of bank note collectors.﻿
Pictured:1860s $10 Obsolete Citizen's Bank of Louisiana New Orleans KB# LAG26A

Given that the Dixieland banknote legend is pure fiction, most likely the origins came from several $10 notes issued from multiple banks in Louisiana beginning as early as 1834. The Citizen’s Bank $10 note of the 1850s (fig.1) predates the “Dixie Note” by four years. The Citizen’s Bank note is ranked #86 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman and shame on the authors for perpetrating this bad myth of history.  A section of my What are Obsoletes video, minute mark: 13:56 delves into this untrue myth. If you want to dive deeper here is a link to Brad Bennett's Facebook Post: The True Origin of Dixie which goes into great detail of how bad this history is.

Educational $1The Educational name belongs to any of the three notes from the Series 1896 Silver Certificates arguably the most beautifully designed currency series created by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The artwork on these notes was designed to celebrate national progress, knowledge, and American industry rather than relying on traditional portraits of politicians. The $1 is titled History Instructing Youth.﻿
Pictured:1896 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #224

Educational $2All three Educational Notes are ranked in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman;  $5 (#5), ($2 #11), and $1 (#7). The $2 is titled Science Presenting Steam and Electricity to Commerce and Manufacture.

Pictured:1896 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #274

Educational $5The series had a short life as a result of poor performance in day to day transactions. The notes were heavily inked, resulting in smudging. The denominations were difficult to read and hated by retailers and bank tellers - which is the real reason the notes were pulled from production. It was not because the $5 pictured a bare breasted women. If that was the case they could have just covered her up like the U.S. Mint did with 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter. The $5 is titled Electricity Presenting Light to the World.

Pictured:
1896 $5 Silver Certificate Fr. #270

FugioThe name comes from the 1776 Continental Pattern Coin ordered by the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. The Face of the note has the motif with a sundial and the inscription FUGIO along with the text Mind Your Business. Fugio is Latin for “I Fly” although there are several translations. The 1776 ⅙ of a dollar is ranked #43 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. The “Fugio” motif was designed by Benjamin Franklin and examples were minted in 1776. The coin could arguably be called a token.

Pictured:
February 17, 1770 Continental 1/6 Dollar Fr. #cc-191776 $1 Continental Dollar Coin﻿

Funny BackThe first Reverse design of the small size $1 notes was only used for three Series: the 1928 $1 United States/Legal Tender Notes and the 1928 and 1934 $1 Silver Certificates. When the design was changed in 1935 people became accustomed to seeing the “new” Great Seal of the United States (still used today) Reverse and when they received a 1928 $1 bill in circulation they thought the back “looked funny”.

Pictured:
The back of Series 1928 & 1934 $1 Silver Certificates and Series 1928 $1 Legal Tender Note 

The outer border design is almost identical to the large size Series 1923 $1 Silver Certificate and $1 Legal Tender Notes. Only the center only the center motif was changed from an ornate design, sometimes called the 'cogwheel', to large text spelling out ONE DOLLAR overlaying the word ONE.

Grand WatermelonOne of the most well known nickname notes is the Grand Watermelon due to its scarcity and value. The name comes from the back of the Series 1890 $1,000 Treasury Note reverse. The ornate interior design lines of the zeros look like watermelons. A Friedberg #379a was the first banknote to sell for over $1 million dollars in 2005. The Grand Watermelon is ranked #1 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. 

Pictured:
The back of Series 1890 $1,000 Treasury Note Fr. #379a

Green BackThe nickname applies to all U.S. currency. The name comes from the use of green ink on the Reverse of Demand notes, the first banknotes issued by the U.S. government and became a permanent name with the second currency issued by the Treasury, the Series 1862 Legal Tender Notes.

Pictured:
$5 Demand Note Fr. #1 Back

Green ink was used as an anti-counterfeiting measure, because early cameras and film could not reproduce it. Green ink is still used today and only a few series of U.S. banknotes have used other colors for the Reverse.﻿
Pictured:
$5 Federal Reserve Note BackSeries 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2017A, 2021

HawaiianThe name comes from the overprint of “Hawaii” on the Back and Face of the World War II Emergency notes issued after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Fears were that Japan would invade the Islands and take the currency. Emergency currency was quickly issued in early 1942 with a brown Treasury Seal and serial numbers along with the overprint enabling the U.S. Treasury to easily demonetize the notes rendering them worthless on the world market. 
Pictured:
Series 1934A $20 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #2305 Back

The Hawaiian overprints were issued in the $1 Silver Certificate and $5, $10 and $20 Federal Reserve Note denominations. The Series 1935-A $1 Silver Certificate is ranked #65 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. ﻿
Pictured:
Series 1934A $20 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #2305Series 1934A $10 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #2303Series 1934A $5 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #2301Series 1935A $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #2300

HyperinflationNotes with this nickname have an extremely high denomination and are generally seen in countries where massive inflation rates occurred. Past examples include post WWII Hungary and 2006 Zimbabwe. The largest banknote denomination ever issued was Hungary’s 1946 100 million trillion (100 quintillion) Pengő (fig.1) which has 20 zeros (100,000,000,000,000,000,000).
Pictured:
1946 Hungarian National Bank 100 Quintillion Pengő P #136

Most collectors are aware of post World War I hyperinflation bank notes but the 2008 Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe 100 Trillion Dollar note is one of the most recent examples of hyperinflation.  This bank note has the most zeros ever printed on any banknote. The 1946 Hungarian Pengő only spells out the denomination.

Pictured:
2008 Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe 100 Trillion Dollar P #91

Lazy DeuceThe Lazy Deuce gets its name from the horizontally placed numerical two that serves as one of the two motifs on the Face of the Original and Series 1875 $2 National Bank Notes. This is the only two dollar National Bank note denomination issued. The left vignette is titled Stars and Stripes. The note is ranked #4 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.

Pictured:
Original $2 National Bank Note Fr. #389a

The vignette on the back of the Lazy Deuce is the illustration of Sir Walter Raleigh, in England, exhibiting corn and smoking tobacco from America.﻿
Pictured:
Original $2 National Bank Note Fr. #389a

Was the Original Series $2 National Bank Note the first Lazy Susan? In the late 1840s The Hamilton Bank of North Scituate, Rhode Island issued a note that had a more ornate horizontal numeral two that could be considered the first Lazy Deuce.﻿
Pictured:
$2 Obsolete The Hamilton Bank, North Scituate, Rhode Island#RI-440-G22

Martha NoteThe Martha Note
The first one dollar Silver Certificate has the portrait of Martha Washington the first, First Lady of the United States. She is the first and last known woman to have her portrait as the main vignette on a U.S. banknote. Note her name does not appear on the note and the Series 1890 & 1891 are ranked #50 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.

Pictured:
1886 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #217

The Martha notes were issued as Series 1886 and 1891 $1 Silver Certifcates. The Series 1886 has the ornate back and the Series 1891 has the plain back. The change was made to provide more negative (white) space for the red and blue silk security threads to show.﻿
Pictured:
1886 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #217

MonochromeBeginning in 1996 the BEP completely redesigned $5 and higher denominations . The new design incorporated a larger portrait off left center of the note, and they became known as "Big Head" notes to differentiate from the prior series (1928-1995) which became known as "Small Head" notes. With the issuance of the “Colorized” notes beginning in 2004 “Big Head” notes also took on the nickname the “Monochrome” Series to discern them from the new “Colorized” notes that maintained the large portrait design. $1 and $2 denominations were not redesigned.

Pictured:
Series 1996 $20 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2084-I

The backs also had a new redesign keeping the same buildings from the previous series. The new design has more negative, or open, space and an overall simplified look.﻿
Pictured:
Series 1996 $20 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2084-ISeries 1999 $5 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #1987-ISeries 1999 $10 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2033-ISeries 1996 $50 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2126-ISeries 1996 $100 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2175-I

Montgomery Note(s)The name comes from the first Confederate States of America notes that were issued in $50, $100, $500 and $1000 denominations from Montgomery, Alabama, the first capital of the Confederacy. They were issued in March 1861 a month before war broke out at Fort Sumter, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. The notes never circulated but were considered bonds or financial investments. The notes are uniface. The $1000 is ranked #17 and the $500 is Ranked #53 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.

Pictured:Alabama Act of March 9, 1861, Montgomery 
Confederate States of America $1,000 Fr. #CS-1 (T1)

Morgan BackThe Series 1886 $5 Silver Certificate gets its nickname from the reverse which displays five 1886 Morgan Silver Dollars. 1886 was the first year that the U.S. Treasury issued Silver Certificates of $1, $2 and $5 denominations. Previously Silver Certificates were issued beginning in 1878, also the first year of the Morgan Dollar coin, in denominations of $10 - $1,000 known as the “Black Backs” for using black ink instead of the traditional green. The “Morgan Back” is Ranked #21 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.

Pictured:Series 1886 $5 Silver Certificate Fr. #264

A New Motto? The 1886 $5 “Morgan Back” is technically the first U.S. banknote to have the “In God We Trust”. It takes two coins separated by a third - but it is there.

Adding the motto did not constitute a major design change, i.e. a new suffix letter, which according to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP) policy at the time it should have. Considering that the 1935-A Series was a result of the plate numbers being enlarged in height by 1 mm - that was considered a major change?  The "No Motto" would have remained Series 1935-G and the added "Motto" should have been Series 1935-H and the the Series 1935-H, with the Granahan signature replacing Smith, should have been Series 1935-I. But BEP didn't think adding "In God We Trust" was a major design change? So the result was two different Series 1935-G $1 Silver Certificates.

North AfricaNorth Africa
These notes were sanctioned by the U.S. Government and issued during World War II. The yellow seal $1, 5 & 10 Silver Certificates were issued as pay for the U.S. military personnel in North Africa and Italy. The yellow seal was incorporated to easily demonetize the banknotes if they fell into enemy hands. They were issued from mid 1942 until later 1944 and later replaced by Allied Military Currency (AMCs). The North Africa notes are ranked #77 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.

Pictured:Series 1934-A $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #2306
Series 1934-A $5 Silver Certificate Fr. #2307
Series 1934-A $10 Silver Certificate Fr. #2308

Plain BackPlain Backs notes get their name from the Series 1902 National Bank Notes (Third Issue) that did not have dates printed on the back. The 1902 First issue had a red seal and lettering, followed by the second issue which had dates (1902-1908) printed on the back earning the nickname Date Back.. For the Third Issue the dates was removed resulting in the nickname Plain Back to differentiate the two notes.﻿(Click here for more information on Date Backs.)﻿﻿﻿﻿
Pictured: 1902 $10 NBN Fr# 623﻿﻿

The First Issue had a Red Seal and Charter Numbers. Following the subsequent issues of the Date Back and Plain Back the Note nickname became simply the Red Seal.﻿
Note: the $10 1902 Fr. 623 Charter #11987 (left) is a real charter number and National Bank but never issued currency. This is a facsimile of what the note could have looked like using AI.

Polar Bear Note(s)One of the more coveted Obsolete banknotes is the Polar Bear note. The vignette has four men in a skiff that are being attacked by a polar bear. Most likely the men are from a whaling ship which can be seen in the far distant left. There is also a large iceberg looming just behind them. The vignette is titled “The White Bear” by the American Bank Note Company and is credited to two different engravers: F.O.C. Darley and Dewitt Clinton Hay. The type is ranked 24 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers and David Sundman.

Pictured:$3 1860s The Continental Bank, Boston, MA #MA160G6a$50 1860s Union Bank of Tennessee, #TN210G228aP

Puerto Rico NoteThe Series $1 1928 Legal Tender Note is known as the “Puerto Rico Note” because most of the notes printed were issued in Puerto Rico. There are several questions, with no answers, that surround this one dollar red seal. There were only 1.872 million issued. Why such a short print run? The notes were printed for two months in April and May of 1933 yet dated Series 1928. Why? It’s believed that $8,012 were released into U.S. circulation in 1933. Again, why? The remaining balance was released into circulation in Puerto Rico, a U.S. Territory since 1917, but not until November 1948 to February 1949. Earning the nickname but why were they released fifteen years later? Many questions but no answers. The back is also one of the first two "Funny Back" notes.﻿
Click the video link below to get the whole story:

Rainbow NotesThe 1869 Legal Tender Notes series were issued to modernize paper money and deter counterfeiting following the Civil War. They earned the nickname "Rainbow Notes" due to their vividly colored appearance, a stark contrast to the standard green-and-black currency of the era.To thwart counterfeiters, the Treasury introduced a distinct blue-tinted paper embedded with silk fibers. When combined with the standard black engraved vignettes, ornate green overprints, for the $1, $2, $5, and $10, and bright red seals and serial numbers, the resulting bills featured a striking, four-color design cementing their colorful nickname. They were issued in every denomination from $1 - $1,000. Ranked #40, 41, 47 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. The Rainbow notes are so iconic and beautiful I have to show all of them.

SawhorseThe nickname comes from the reverse of the Series $1 1874, 1875, 1878, 1880 and 1917 Legal Tender Note. The ornate reverse design features a large "X" in the center of the note that resembles the end of a sawhorse, but really it depicts a sawbuck where the ends of the legs extend above the center to hold a log (fig.1). In the 19th Century the term sawbuck and sawhorse became interchangeable in the U.S. and Canada with the word sawhorse becoming more prevalent.

Pictured:Series 187 $1  Legal Tender Fr-27

Santa Claus Note(s)The most well known Santa Clause was the Obsolete $2 banknote issued during the 1850s by the White Mountain Bank of Lancaster, New Hampshire. The note depicts Santa complete with a pipe, donning a tri-corne hat and his eight reindeer taking off from a rooftop. So popular is the Santa Claus notes that they rank #23 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Bowers and Sundman. White Mountain Bank was not the only one to issue notes bearing Santa Claus. Many banks issued notes depicting Santa Clause during the latter part of the Obsolete banknote era.
Pictured:$2 1860s White Mountain Bank, Lancaster, NH #NH-160-G8a

Scum NoteIn 1968 the islands of the Seychelles, located 800 miles off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles/British Administration introduced a new series of banknotes that featured Queen Elizabeth II. At the time the Seychelles was a crown colony of Great Britain and talks of independence were ongoing. The 10 Rupees note features a sea turtle swimming above a coral formation that could be interpreted spelling the word “SCUM”. It’s said the banknote’s designers were not accountable as the issued notes differed from the final design. Speculation ranges from an irregularity of the design while others believe it was an engraver for Bradbury & Wilkinson, the company responsible for printing the currency, who had issue with Great Britain and/or Queen Elizabeth II and colonial rule. What’s strange is that the banknote went unreported for seven years. The Seychelles gained independence in 1976.
Pictured:Seychelles / British Administration 1968 10 Rupees Pick# 15a

Sex NoteJust like the “Scum” note the 1968 banknote series from the islands of the Seychelles features a hidden message. The 50 Rupees note features a cluster of palm trees next to the Queen’s portrait that, when you look closer and turn the note 90° counterclockwise, the palm trees can appear to form the word “SEX.” It’s said the banknote’s designers were not accountable as the issued notes differed from the final design. Speculation ranges from an irregularity of the design while others believe it was an engraver for Bradbury & Wilkinson,  the company responsible for printing Seychelles' currency, who had issue with Great Britain and/or Queen Elizabeth II and colonial rule. What’s strange is that the banknote went unreported for seven years. The Seychelles gained independence in 1976.
Pictured:Seychelles / British Administration 1973 50 Rupees Pick# 17e

ShinplasterContinental Currency became nearly worthless during the Revolutionary War; it actually had more value as bandages. Soldiers wet the notes and plastered them together to cover their leg wounds. It’s also said that the soldiers used them to line their boots for insulation or to block holes in the soles. Because Continental notes were small the term continued into the 1800s applying to fractional notes issued by the U.S. The term became a very common nickname in Canada for the 25¢ note issued from 1870-1923.
Pictured:$2 Continental Currency May 20 1777 Fr. CC-6325¢ Dominion of Canada 1923 #DC-24d

Short SnorterA banknote, or multiple banknotes, most commonly signed by military personnel (mostly during World War II). Allied personnel made souvenirs of their travels by collecting currency from all the places they were garrisoned. "Short Snorters" were commonly taped together and signed by friends, high ranking officers or celebrities appearing at USO shows. The term "short snort" was bar slang for less than a full shot of liquor around the first part of the 20th Century. During the 1920s, early aviators recognized that heavy drinking and flying were a fatal combination. Pilots began jokingly referring to each other as "short snorters"—flyers who were smart enough to only have a short drink before taking off. The actual practice of signing banknotes is credited to Alaskan bush pilots around 1925. When pilots met up, they began signing each other's local currency as a sign of camaraderie and good luck. This evolved into an informal, exclusive club with a strict set of rules: To become a "Short Snorter," you had to be initiated by someone who was already a member. Members would sign your bill, which served as your membership card. If a fellow member challenged you to produce your Short Snorter and you couldn't present it, you were penalized. You had to buy the challenger a drink (a "short snort") or give them a dollar.
Pictured: $1 1935 A Silver Certificate Hawaii Overprint Emergency Currency Fr. 2300

Slayer Note(s)The "Slayer Note" is a popular Confederate States of America $2 bill. It earns its dramatic nickname from the central vignette depicting an allegorical female figure of the "South” striking down the “Union" who is the oppressor. The note was issued for two series. The First Series in 1861 without an overprint, catalog number #CS-38 (T38) and the Third 1862 series all dated June 2, 1962. One without a green overprint  #CS-42 (T42) and one with.
Pictured:Confederate States of America $1,000 Fr. #CS-43 (T43)

Sweet Potato Dinner NoteThe "Sweet Potato Dinner" vignette is one of the most iconic and politically charged engravings found on 19th-century American currency. Based on John Blake White’s painting, General Marion Inviting a British Officer to Share His Meal, the vignette captures a legendary moment from the American Revolutionary War. It depicts General Francis Marion—the famed "Swamp Fox"—in a rugged South Carolina encampment, offering a humble dinner of roasted sweet potatoes to a polished, visiting British officer.
Pictured:$5 State of South Carolina Oboslete #SC-CR5

The vignette appeared on Obsolete state banknotes and denominations including Kentucky, Louisiana, and Alabama. It also is the main vignette for the $10 1861 Confederate T-39 note. But if you like the vignette the State of South Carolina note is bar far the best looking.

TombstoneThe note earned its famous moniker because the central portrait of Thomas A. Hendricks is surrounded by a thick, arched border that distinctly resembles a cemetery headstone. The shape of the frame was highly symbolic. Hendricks served as the 21st Vice President of the United States under Grover Cleveland but died suddenly in office in November 1885. When the Treasury issued this $10 Silver Certificate the following year in 1886,

Pictured:Series 1886 $10 Silver Certificate Fr. #291

The Tombstone note was issued in three series 1886, 1891 and 1908 with two different back designs (1886 and 1891/1908). The front design remains the same but 5 different Treasury seals were used. The Series 1908 was issued with a blue Treasury seal and serial numbers as well as a large Roman Numeral X (10) on the far center left of the front.

TransportationTransportation is obviously the theme on the back of the 1914 Federal Reserve Notes and the 1915 Federal Reserve Bank Notes. The left illustrates a plane that’s looks similar to the first U.S. Army plane purchased from the Wright Brothers in 1909. You have an early automobile. The train is most prominent with the locomotive speeding alongside the car. You can even see the engineer at the side window - and the engine number is 20. The right has a trans Atlantic ocean liner steaming away from New York City with a tug boat as it's guide and the Statue of Liberty in the background.

Pictured:Series 1914 $00 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #998

Value BackThe Value Back notes get their name from the back of the Series 1882 National Bank Notes that had the denomination printed on the back. They were printed and issued from 1916-1922. Under the National Banking Act, Value Backs were only issued by banks who had previously issued Date Back notes and whose charters were still operational. They were issued under new, more flexible, Treasury deposit requirements. Congress passed the requirement of altering the note design to identify them as different from the Date Backs.  As a group Value Backs are the most scarce notes of all National Bank Notes.

Pictured:
Series 1882 $20 National Bank Note Note Fr. #581 (Back)

Even though Date Backs are considered Series 1882 the fronts use blue serial numbers, charter numbers, location initial and Treasury seal. The backs are printed in green ink not brown like the Series 1882 Brown Backs.

Web NoteBetween 1992 and 1996 the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) began printing only one dollar banknotes using a new printing process called Web Press. Instead of printing on an individual sheet a new press was purchased and developed that fed banknote paper on one continuous roll of paper, like newspaper is printed. They were printed for Series 1988-A, 1993 and 1995. A web-fed intaglio press was purchased from the Goebel Company of Germany and only used at the Washington, D.C. facility. The BEP called this an “experiment” to save money. But it lasted for four years. The process became a mechanical and production failure. The continuous printing process struggled with ink curing, causing the heavy intaglio ink to offset or smear. The tension of the massive paper rolls frequently caused web breaks, which required shutting down the entire massive press to re-thread the paper. The quality of Web Notes was very poor. They are not as clear and the ink tends to be on the light side. Web Notes are not common but they certainly aren’t scarce. The Series 1988-A is the most common and the series was also first printed with the standard sheet process resulting in both types of one dollar bank notes. See below illustraion to identify the difference between Sheet and Web Fed notes.

Pictured:Series 1988-A $1 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #1917E (Richmond)

Wood ChopperThe note got its name from one of the most iconic allegories used for American banknotes - The Pioneer Family, engraved by Henry Gugler, and more commonly known as “The Woodchopper”. The image depicts a frontiersman in front of his home and wife who is holding their infant. He has an ax in hand but a rifle rests nearby with the family dog on alert. This allegory conveys the expansion of the American West. The allegory was first used on the Series 1869 $5 “Rainbow” Legal Tender Note and continued being used for Series 1875, 1878, 1880 and 1907 with notes being issued as late as 1927 or 1928 with the Woods/White signatures.

Pictured:Series 1875 $5 Legal Tender Note Fr. #68

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