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.
THE 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.
THE 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."
BENJAMINThe nickname derives from the $100 Federal Reserve Note that bears the portrait of founding father, statesman, diplomat, scientist, inventor, writer, printer, publisher, and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. How long the nickname has been in use is unknown. It could not be before 1914 when Franklin first appeared on the $100 bill.
Pictured:Series 2009-A $100 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #2187-I
Benjamin Franklin first appeared on the the $100 bill for the Series 1914 Federal Reserve Notes. His first appearance on U.S. currency was the Series 1874 $50 Legal Tender Note.
Pictured: Series 1914 $100 Federal Reserve Note Fr. #1080b-I
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
William L. Marcy, of New York, is depicted on the Series 1878 $1000 bill. March was an lawyer, politician, and judge who served as U.S. Senator, the eleventh Governor of New York, U.S. Secretary of War and the twenty-first U.S. Secretary of State.
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
BOB HOPE NOTEThe nickname of the the 50¢ Fifth Issue Fractional comes from the notes portrait likeness to famed comedian Bob Hope whose career spanned 70 years until his death at 100 in 2003. The portrait is of William Crawford who was Secretary of War from 1815-1816 and Secretary of the Treasury from 1816-1825 for President James Monroe. He was a politician from Georgia becoming a U.S. Senator and Minister France. 
Pictured:Fractional Fifth Issue (1874-1876) 50¢ Fr. 1381
Hope became well known for his entertainment of U.S. troops for USO from World War II into the 1990s. Bob Hope has four stars for Radio broadcasting, Television, Live performance, and Motion pictures on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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
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.
BRACELET BACKThis note gets its nickname from the back of the $2 United States/Legal Tender notes Series 1874, 1875, 1878, 1880 and 1917. The Reverse has an intricate oval shape pattern made up of three Guilloché shapes that form what appears to be a bracelet. 
Pictured:Series 1875 $2 Legal Tender Note Fr. #47
The Face of the $2 Legal Tender Note was issued for over 55 years beginning with the Series 1869 $2 Legal Tender Rainbow note through to the mid-1920s with Series 1917 $2 Legal Tender Note. The front of the note bears the only portrait of Thomas Jefferson used on U.S. currency and a magnificent vignette of the U.S. Capitol building in the late 1860s.
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.
THE CHIEFThe obvious nickname comes from the portrait of Chief Running Antelope of the Húŋkpapȟa one of the seven council fires of the Lakota tribe. When Running Antelope sat his portrait he wore his tribal headdress made of several eagle feathers (below) but it was thought to be too tall for portrait. The note is ranked #10 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman.
Pictured:Series 1899 $5 Silver Certificate Fr. #271
This is the only banknote to feature a Native American as the main motif, although unnamed. The headdress was changed to that of a Pawnee Chief to make the portrait fit the layout of the bank note better - the feathers were too tall. The altered portrait caused ill will among the Great Plains tribes as the Lakota and Pawnee were enemy nations.
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.
C-NOTEThe nickname comes from the Roman numeral for 100 “C”. The Roman Numeral X (10) first appeared on the 1861 $10 Demand Note. The nickname took hold in the late 1800s and is still used. The first “C-Note” was Series 1863 $100 Legal Tender in a detailed pattern on the Reverse. The last Roman Numeral “C” used was on the Series 1922 $100 Gold Certificate on both the Face and Reverse of the certificate.
Pictured:Series 1922 $100 Gold Certificate Fr# 1215 (Reverse)
$100 “C” Roman Numeral Engravings Clockwise Series 1862 Legal Tender Fr. #167 (Back) Series 1891 Treasury Note Fr. #344 (Face) Series 1878 Silver Certificate Fr. #340 (Face) Series 1862 Legal Tender Fr. #167 (Face) Series 1922 Gold Certificate Fr. #1215 (Face) Series 1890 Treasury Note Fr. #377 (Back) Series 1922 Gold Certificate Fr. #1215 (Face) Series 1880 Legal Tender Fr. #181 (Back)
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.
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
The $1000 1890 & 1891 Treasury Notes bear the portrait of Union Major General George Meade who led the Army of the Potomac to victory at Gettysburg, PA in 1863 during the U.S. Civil War. The Series 1891 $1,000 does not have the same back "Watermelon" or ornate design. It was changed to a much less detailed style to reveal more of the embedded red and blue silk security threads.
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
GREEN EAGLEThe Green Eagle, also referred to as the Flying Eagle, is on the back of the Series 1918 $1 Federal Reserve Bank Note (FRBN). The illustration is officially titled Eagle in Flight. The $1 was issued as part of the second issue of FRBNs, the first was Series 1915 which did not issue a $1 denomination. The $1 note was issued (and backed) by all 12 Districts of the Federal Reserve Bank. Pictured: Series 1918 $1 Federal Reserve Bank Note Back
This was the second time the eagle vignette was used; the first was the reverse of the Series 1882 $500 Gold Certificate (fig.1).
Pictured: Series 1918 $1 Federal Reserve Bank Note Fr. #736 FrontSeries 1882 $500 Gold Certificate Fr. #1216 Back
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
HORSE BLANKETA popular, and often incorrectly applied, nickname that is attributed to all U.S. large size banknotes issued beginning in 1861 and replaced in 1929 with the contemporary small size notes still used today. The term Horse Blanket obviously refers to a common item of the period that is large and flat. Pictured: Series 1923 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #239
Many times the Horse Blanket nickname is incorrectly applied to either the Series 1917 $1 United States/Legal Tender note or the Series 1923 $1 Silver Certificate.
Pictured: Series 1917 $1 Legal Tender Note Fr. #39
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
JACKASSThe Jackass gets its name from the small lower center eagle motif of the Series 1869-1880 $10 Legal Tender Note. The left portrait is of Massachusetts lawyer, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Daniel Webster. The right vignette is titled “Pocahontas Presented at Court”. The Jackass note is ranked #71 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. Pictured: Series 1869 $10 Legal Tender “Rainbow” Note Fr. #96
When the note is turned upside down the small eagle at the bottom center resembles a donkey or a jackass. Historians consider the 1869/1880 $10 Legal Tender "Jackass" motif to be an accidental optical illusion rather than an intentional joke. But there is numismatic legend that an English engraver intentionally hid the donkey as an insult to the United States. It's difficult to believe that this motif design was an accident. 
Pictured: Enlarged eagle motif and rotated 180° upside down.
The Series 1869 $10 Legal Tender notes wasn’t the first Jackass note. A much larger version appeared on the Face of the 1864 & 1865 Interest Bearing Note as the center vignette.
Pictured: Series 1865 $50 Interest Bearing Note Note Fr. #212d
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
Locomotive Note(s)The name is obvious depicting a Locomotive in motion as the center vignette. The notes were printed using Offset or Lithographic printing so they lack the fine detail that Intaglio printed notes have. 1863-1864 Confederate States of America Criswell #T-40 & #T-39 are ranked #27 in the 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers & David M. Sundman. Pictured: $100 1862 Confederate States of America T-39
Seeing Double? The main difference between the two notes is the steam coming out of the locomotive engine. The T-40 notes is known as the “Diffused” version while the T-39 is called the “Straight” version. The T-40 center vignette is also smaller. Both notes have the same collector value.
Pictured: $100 1862 Confederate States of America T-40
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
Mini PortholeThe 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” (fig.1). 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. Pictured: Series 1899 $2 Silver Certificate Fr. #249
Not the Last Porthole? It would be interesting to find out if the Mini Porthole nickname came before or after the Series 1923 $5 Silver Certificate - "the Porthole" - coming up later.
Pictured: Series 1899 $2 Silver Certificate Fr. #249 Inset: 1923 $5 Silver Certificate Fr. #282
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)
All is Fair in Love & War. Montgomery Notes were produced by the National Bank Note Co. who was also made postage stamps for the Union. The notes were smuggled from New York City across the succeeding Confederate state lines.
Pictured: Alabama Act of March 9, 1861, Montgomery Confederate States of America $50 Fr. #CS-4 (T4)Confederate States of America $100 Fr. #CS-3 (T3)Confederate States of America $100 Fr. #CS-5 (T4)Confederate States of America $500 Fr. #CS-2 (T2)
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.
No Motto / MottoMotto/No Motto In 1955 a bill was passed unanimously by Congress mandating that “In God We Trust” be printed on every denomination of U.S. paper currency. The “phrase” would not replace E Pluribus Union as the U.S. official motto until 1957. The BEP implemented the change in April of 1962 with the Series 1935-G $1 Silver Certificate. Pictured:Series 1935-G $1 Silver Certificate Fr. 1616 (top)Series 1935-G $1 Silver Certificate Fr. 1617 (bottom)
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.
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.
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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
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
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
There were also multiple Santa Claus vignettes used. Most of the vignettes were early Victorian period Santas and had not evolved into the caricature of how St. Nick is depicted today.
Pictured: 1886 $1 Silver Certificate Fr. #217