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Table of Contents
PAPER MONEY
VOL. XLV, No. 5, WHOLE No. 245 WWW.SPMC.ORG
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS
PAPER MONEY is published every other month begin-
ning in January by the Society of Paper Money
Collectors (SPMC). Second-class postage is paid at
Dover. DE 19901. Postmaster send address changes
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© Society of Paper Money Collectors, Inc., 2006. All
rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, in whole or
part, without written permission, is prohibited.
Individual copies of this issue of PAPER MONEY are
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 321
Paper Money
Official Bimonthly Publication of
The Society of Paper Money Collectors, Inc.
Vol. XLV, No. 5 Whole No. 245 SEPT/OCT 2006
ISSN 0031-1162
FRED L. REED III, Editor, P.O. Box 793941, Dallas, TX 75379
Visit the SPMC web site: www.spmc.org
FEATURES
Transition from Wide to Narrow Designs on U.S. Small Size Notes 323
By Peter Huntoon and James Hodgson
Mini-dollar: Shrinking Value of the U.S. Dollar 343
By Leslie Deerderf
Lucky Day Discovery: An Elusive Series 1928 $1000 Boston FRN 344
By Don Noss
Louis Van Belkum's "No Circulation" National Banks Revisited 345
By Lee Lofthus
Postscript to Postal Note: Fractional Currency Schemes After 1890s . 360
By Loren Gatch
On This Date in Paper Money History 367, 369
By Fred Reed
Is the Federal Reserve System a Governmental Organization? 370
By Stephen Zarlenga
Web Press Test Plate Varieties 385
By Bob Kvederas Sr. & Bob Kvederas Jr.
Did Lincoln's Appearance on Money Influence His Public Perception? 395
By Fred Reed
SOCIETY NEWS
Information & Officers 322
Society Members Benefit SPMC Programs with Their Gifts 355
Past President Ron Horstman steps down after decades of service
368
President's Column 378
By Benny Bolin
Money Mart 378
New Members 379
SPMC Memphis 2006 Board Meeting Minutes 380
Board membership opportunity to improve Society, hobby 382
SPMC honors J. Roy Pennell & Others 384
On the cover is Freeman Thorp's 1879 oil portrait of Abraham Lincoln based on an Alexander Gardner
photograph known as the "Gettysburg Lincoln," taken Nov. 8, 1863, days
before his speech. The painting was acquired by the U.S. Congress in 1920.
Lorenzo Hatch pro-
duced a security portrait
engraving for ABNCo
based on the same pho-
tograph, which the
Editor applied to a sug-
gested design for the $5
FRN makeover in 1999.
AreUrkial.
UNITED STA'TES
OP AMERICA
SOCIETY
OF
PAPER MONEY
COLLECTORS
INC.
ciation. The annual SPMC meeting
(International Paper Money Show).
322 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Society of Paper Money Collectors
The Society of Paper Money Collec-
tors (SPMC) was organized in 1961
and incorporated in 1964 as a non-
profit organization under the laws of
the District of Columbia. It is affiliated
with the American Numismatic Asso-
is held in June at the Memphis IPMS
Up-to-date information about the SPMC
and its activities can be found on its Internet web site www.spmc.org .
MEMBERSHIP—REGULAR and LIFE. Applicants must be at least 18 years of
age and of good moral character. Members of the ANA or other recognized
numismatic societies are eligible for membership; other applicants should be
sponsored by an SPMC member or provide suitable references.
MEMBERSHIP—JUNIOR. Applicants for Junior membership must be from 12
to 18 years of age and of good moral character. Their application must be
signed by a parent or guardian. Junior membership numbers will be preced-
ed by the letter "j," which will be removed upon notification to the Secretary
that the member has reached 18 years of age. Junior members are not eligi-
ble to hold office or vote.
DUES—Annual dues are $30. Members in Canada and Mexico should add $5
to cover postage; members throughout the rest of the world add $10. Life
membership — payable in installments within one year is $600, $700 for
Canada and Mexico, and $800 elsewhere. The Society has dispensed with
issuing annual membership cards, but paid up members may obtain one
from the Secretary for an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope).
Members who join the Society prior to October 1 receive the magazines
already issued in the year in which they join as available. Members who join
after October 1 will have their dues paid through December of the following
year; they also receive, as a bonus, a copy of the magazine issued in
November of the year in which they joined. Dues renewals appear in a fall
issue of Paper Money. Checks should be sent to the Society Secretary.
OFFICERS
ELECTED OFFICERS:
PRESIDENT Benny Bolin, 5510 Bolin Rd., Allen, TX 75002
VICE-PRESIDENT Mark Anderson, 115 Congress St., Brooklyn, NY
11201
SECRETARY Bob Schreiner, POB 2331, Chapel Hill, NC 27515
TREASURER Bob Moon, 104 Chipping Court, Greenwood, SC
29649
BOARD OF GOVERNORS:
Mark Anderson, 115 Congress St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
Benny J. Bolin, 5510 Bolin Rd., Allen, TX 75002
Bob Cochran, P.O. Box 1085, Florissant, MO 63031
Wes Duran, P.O. Box 91, Twin Lakes, CO 81251-0091
Gene Hessler, P.O. Box 31144, Cincinnati, OH 45231
Robert J. Kravitz, P.O. Box 6099, Chesterfield, MO 63006
Tom Minerley, 25 Holland Ave #001, Albany, NY 12209-1735
Judith Murphy, P.O. Box 24056, Winston-Salem, NC 27114
Fred L. Reed III, P.O. Box 793941, Dallas, TX 75379-3941
Robert Schreiner, P.O. Box 2331, Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Wendell A. Wolka, P.O. Box 1211, Greenwood, IN 46142
Jamie Yakes, P.O. Box 1203, Jackson, NJ 08527
APPOINTEES:
PUBLISHER-EDITOR Fred L. Reed III, P.O. Box 793941. Dallas.
TX 75379-3941
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Gene Hessler, P.O. Box 31144,
Cincinnati, OH 45231
ADVERTISING MANAGER Wendell A. Wolka, P.O. Box 1211,
Greenwood, IN 46142
LEGAL COUNSEL Robert J. Galiette, 3 Teal Ln., Essex,
CT 06426
LIBRARIAN Robert Schreiner, P.O.Box 2331, Chapel Hill, NC
27515-2331
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Frank Clark, P.O. Box 117060, Car-
rollton, TX 75011-7060
PAST PRESIDENT Ron Horstman, 5010 Timber Ln., Gerald, MO
63037
WISMER BOOK PROJECT COORDINATOR Bob Cochran, P.O.
Box 1085, Florissant, MO 63031
REGIONAL MEETING COORDINATOR Judith Murphy, P.O. Box
24056, Winston-Salem, NC 27114
BUYING AND SELLING
CSA and Obsolete Notes
CSA Bonds, Stocks &
Financial Items
ANA-LM
SCNA
PCDA CHARTER MBR
HUGH SHULL
P.O. Box 2522, Lexington, SC 29071
PH: (803) 996-3660 FAX: (803) 996-4885
SPMC LM 6
BRNA
FUN
Auction Representation
60-Page Catalog for
$5.00
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
323
The Transition from V.11 /42 Narrow. Designs on
U.S. Small Size Notes
between 1947 and 1953
By Peter Huntoon and James Hodgson
Resizing Program
A PROGRAM TO RESIZE THE SMALL SIZE CURRENCYdesigns began to be implemented at the Bureau of Engraving andPrinting during December 1947, when work on the narrow $5 FRNface die was begun. The program concluded with the hardening of
the narrow $5 and $10 back dies on September 20, 1950.
Above: A just discovered narrow $10
Series of 1934C narrow Kansas City
face shown with a wide that was on the
same press at the same time for com-
parison. Only four narrow Series of
1934C face plates were made, all for
Kansas City.
The stated purpose for the resizing program written on the die cards for
the narrow face designs was to make all the engravings the same size as the $1
SC face which was designated as the standard. All the designs that were resized
originally had been engraved a bit larger than the $1 SC face.
Similarly, the backs were resized to a uniform common standard which
was smaller than the $1 SC faces. Although not stated, it appears that the $50
and $100 backs served as the standard.
The following were resized: $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 faces, and $1,
$5, $10, $20 backs. Left untouched were the $2, $50 and $100 backs, and, of
course, the $1 face.
A primary benefit flowing from the resizing program was that the spaces
between the subjects on the plates were larger in the shortened dimension.
This reduced spoilage rates. It is likely that reduction of spoilage rates was the
driver for the program.
The resized designs were used on 12-subject flat plates. The last of the
12-subject plates were Legal Tender $2 Series of 1928G and $5 Series of
1928F; Silver Certificate $1 Series of 1935D and, $5 and $10 Series of 1934D;
and all Series of 1950 Federal Reserve Notes.
324 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Discovery
Wide and narrow designs were discovered decades ago on the $1, $5 and
$10 backs, and listed in the earliest Goodman, Schwartz and O'Donnell cata-
logs. However, the narrow $20 back was recognized only within the past few
years by Jim Hodgson.
The narrow $5 SC face was discovered in the fall of 2003 by Bill Recob,
an attendee in a paper money class taught by Peter Huntoon at the University
of Nevada at Las Vegas. The narrow $5 LT face was found the next day just as
soon as Huntoon could get at his notes.
It was obvious that the wide to narrow transitions represented a signifi-
cant redesign effort that involved most of the small size issues. Huntoon
undertook a crash program to find the rest during a March 2004 trip to the
Smithsonian Institution where he could work with the certified proofs from all
the series.
Certain that new dies were prepared, Huntoon simultaneously inquired
of Cecilia Wertheimer at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Historical
Resource Center to determine if she could locate records for them. She gra-
ciously complied and soon Eric Woodward of her office advised that he had
located a sheaf of die cards from the effort, all with notations such as "This
reduced size was attained in order to conform to the $1 Silver Certificate Face
which is the standard size."
The following new face varieties were discovered: $2 LT, $10 SC and
$5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 FRNs. In short order the list of the varieties had
more than trebled. The die cards coupled with a thorough search of the certi-
fied proofs at the Smithsonian demonstrate that we now have found them all.
No narrow design was prepared for $1 SC faces because that engraving
served as the standard size for the others. No narrow designs were made for
$2, $50 or $100 backs either.
Chronology
The dates that the narrow dies were hardened appear on Table 1. Those
are key dates because once hardened, the dies were ready for use.
Table 1. Chronological order in which the first narrow plate of each design was certified for use, and information on the
corresponding narrow die prepared with the new narrow design.
Date First Dimension Date Die
Den Class Side Plate Certified Shortened Die Numbera Hardened
5 SC face Aug 11, 1948 horizontal 16266 Jun 4, 1948
5 FRN face May 6, 1949 horizontal 331 Apr 23, 1948
10 FRN face Aug 25, 1949 horizontal 332 Aug 18, 1948
1 back Sep 22, 1949 vertical 16421 May 10, 1949
20 FRN face Oct 27, 1949 horizontal 335 Feb 28, 1949
2 LT face Dec 6, 1949 horizontal 16291 Aug 5, 1949
10 SC face Feb 10, 1950 horizontal 16472 Dec 12, 1949
5 LT face Mar 8, 1950 horizontal 16468 Nov 25, 1949
50 FRN face Mar 27, 1950 horizontal 337 Aug 23, 1949
100 FRN face Jun 2, 1950 horizontal 338 Feb 14, 1950
20 back Jul 3, 1950 horizontal 350 die card not found
5 back Nov 7, 1951 horizontal 368 Sep 20, 1950
10 back Dec 20, 1951 horizontal 371 Sep 20, 1950
a There are two series of die numbers, the 3 digit are Federal Reserve Note dies, the 5 digit are Miscellaneous dies.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 325
Table 2. Key plates and dates associated with the changeovers between the 12-subject wide and narrow $2 and $5 Legal
Tender, and $5 and $10 Silver Certificate face designs.
The plate having the lowest number with a given variety was not always the first plate with the variety to be certified or
used. Conversely, the plate having the highest number with a given variety was not always the last plate with the variety
to be certified or used.
Last Last Date Last Date First First Date First Date
Wide a Wide a Wide Narrow a Narrow a Narrow
Plate Plate was Plate was Plate Plate was Plate was
Number Certified Used Number Certified Used
$2 Legal Tender wide to narrow transition:
1928F 481 Jun 11, 1947 Dec 9, 1949 1928G 483 Dec 6, 1949 no data
$5 Legal Tender wide to narrow transition:
1928E 627 Jul 27, 1947 May 1, 1950 1928F 628 Mar 8, 1950 Mar 13, 1950
$5 Silver Certificate wide to narrow transition:
1934C 2026 Jun 16, 1948 Mar 13, 1950 1934C 2028 Aug 11, 1948 Aug 18, 1948
$10 Silver Certificate wide to narrow transition:
1934C 232 Sep 9, 1947 Aug 7, 1950 1934D 233 Feb 10, 1950 no data
The work on the narrow designs appears to have commenced December
11, 1947, when the narrow $5 FRN face die was begun. The job was finished
December 20, 1951, after the first narrow $10 back was
made.
However, there was a peculiar reversion to use of wide
$5 backs beginning in April 1952 that continued to the end
of 12-subject plate production in 1953. The narrow design
was reinstituted when $5 18-subject back plate production
commenced March 31, 1953.
$2 Legal Tender Faces
Work on an horizontally shortened $2 face die was
completed in August, 1949, and the first plate made from the
narrow die was certified in December. As shown on Figure
1, the alteration to the die was simple. Slivers of the right
and left ends were trimmed away.
The changeover from the wide to narrow $2 faces
occurred between the 1928F and G series. No rarities were
created as a result. $2 1928F face 481 is the last wide, and $2
1928G face 483 the first narrow (Table 2).
No narrow version of the $2 backs was needed, so
there are no wide and narrow back designs to create interest-
ing matings with the available faces.
$5 Silver Certificate Faces
Work on a narrow $5 Silver Certificate face die began
during January 1948, and the die was hardened in June. It
was the first of the narrow dies to be completed. The first
plate made from the die was certified in August, and was the
first narrow plate to be made under the resizing program.
Figure 1. Comparison between the wide and narrow $2 Legal Tender
faces. Notice the degree of horizontal shortening.
Wide
Narrow
Wide
326 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
JAMES POLIS
BUYING AND SELLING QUALITY COLLECTOR
SMALL SIZE CURRENCY
WHY WOULD YOU WISH TO DEAL WITH ME?
PROFESSIONALISM
It is my promise to you, the customer, that you will always be treated with the most
ardent professionalism regarding all matters.
AFFILIATION
I am a member of the Professional Currency Dealers Association,
Society of Paper Money Collectors, Fractional Currency Collectors Board,
and American Numismatic Association.
CONSERVATIVE GRADING
I am one of the most conservative graders in the hobby (ask anyone who has ever dealt with me).
A UCTION REPRESENTATION
Very competitive rates offered — I attend most of the major currency auctions.
MAJOR ADVERTISER
Check out my full page ad on page 17 in every issue of the Bank Note Reporter.
FREE PRICE LIST
Occasionally available upon request.
WANT LISTS SERVICED
I attend many of the major shows and auctions to satisfy
my customer's collecting needs.
SEE WHAT ONE CUSTOMER STATES IN RESPONSE TO HIS ORDER
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF MANY OF MY CUSTOMERS THOUGHTS
"Hello Jim,
The two FRNs arrived today safe and secure. Thank you for the very fast delivery.
My feelings about the condition of the two notes: First the 1985 $20... Perfect, Beautiful, better than expected. Now,
the ever so elusive 1963 $20 that has been a royal pain in my butt to find for the last 7 months.... First, understand that the
price was more than I wished to have spent, even though it's been a tough and difficult note to secure. Second, you had me
a bit worried about the possible centering condition, so I was expecting a note that had or might have had some disappoint-
ing visual aspects that honestly had me thinking twice about spending the amount you wanted for the note in the first
place. WOW WEE.... It's simply Great, the margin shift is, as you said and tried to assure me of, slight. Not a big deal at all.
The note is stunning. I could not have wished for a better note. I am completely overwhelmed by it's beauty and freshness.
What a relief to have found such an awesome example. Now I have absolutely no second thoughts about the price. Seeing it,
holding it, feeling it, having it... It was a no-brainer to have bought.
In short, I suppose you could say I'm happy to put it in a single word. Thanks Jim, you have an excellent eye for
quality. Your contact, service and delivery are an asset to your profession. I'm so very glad a friend of mine, who I know
only through buying notes on ebay, and share the enjoyment of collecting for the last 8 months, sent me your name, email
listings and address.
You've got a customer for life here. No second-guessing your expertise, notes and service on my part at all now.
Thanks for the super notes!"
Jeff "
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 327
ACTIVELY ACQUIRING THE FOLLOWING
LEGAL TENDER NOTES
From high grade type notes to rare stars
SILVER CERTIFICATES
Vigorously searching for key issues but will also gladly accept
nice uncirculated type notes
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK NOTES
Strong buyer of all type notes as well as challenging rarities
GOLD CERTIFICATES AND EMERGENCY CURRENCY
All notes from all denominations in most collectible grades
FEDERAL RESERVE NOTES
Desperately seeking the following in all grades:
Numbered District Notes
Early Star Notes — 1928 — 1934 issues
Other key issues such as 1950E, 1963, and 1969B
High Denomination Bills
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY
I am one of the strongest buyers in this field. Take a look at any major auction
or show at who is buying fractionals in all grades and you will usually hear
my name. I am passionately looking for all scarcer varieties as well as Choice-Gem
Uncirculated Type Notes for my customers. Please send me any notes that
you have for a fair and expedient offer
COLONIAL CURRENCY
I am interested in all colonies but specifically scarcer ones such as Georgia, New
Hampshire, The Carolinas, Virginia, as well as more difficult issues from all colonies
LARGE SIZE TYPE NOTES
I would like to purchase any large size type notes available
CONFEDERATE CURRENCY
Specifically interested in scarcer types
JAMES POLIS
4501 Connecticut Avenue, NW #306
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 363 — 6650
Jpolis7935@aol.com
Figure 2. Comparison between the wide
and narrow $5 Silver Certificate faces
showing the degree of horizontal short-
ening.
Wide Narrow
Figure 3. The easiest way to distinguish
between the wide and narrow $5 Silver
Certificate faces is to count the numbers
of pairs of vertical lines to the left of the
tip of the line that defines the center of
the spiral next to the lower right counter.
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Wide
Narrow
328
The most obvious place to see the differences between the wide and nar-
row varieties is in the spiral that touches the left side of the lower right counter
(Figure 2). The most definitive feature is the number of pairs of vertical lines
to the left of the tip of the curled line that defines the center of the spiral. As
shown on Figure 3, there are three pairs of two lines on the wide, but only
nvo on the narrow. The diagnostic features shown on Figure 2 are mirrored
on the left side of the notes as well.
The narrow face design first appeared on the last four plates made for
the Series of 1934C Silver Certificates, specifically plates 2028, 2029, 2030 and
2031. These plates were begun in June 1948, and finished in August. See
Table 3.
The last wide Silver Certificate face was 1934C plate 2026. It was certi-
fied June 7, 1948, and narrow 2028 on August 11th. Consequently, this wide-
narrow changeover was the first of the known wide to narrow design changes.
Plate 2027 never was finished, but was begun as a narrow based on the fact that
work on it started in June along with the other four, and that it was manufac-
tured in the same fashion.
The data from the plate history ledgers summarized on Table 3 reveal
that all four of the narrow 1934C Silver Certificate face plates were used.
Printings from them spanned August 18, 1948, to January 11, 1950. However,
they represent only a small fraction of 1934Cs produced.
A total of 156 face plates were used to print the $5 Series of 1934C Silver
Certificates. The four narrow plates represent about 2.5 percent of this total.
Consequently the narrows should be about as scarce as regular 1934C star
notes, and the narrow star notes should be very scarce to rare.
Table 3. Comprehensive data for the four $5 Series of 1934C Silver Certificate narrow face plates.
Plate Begun Certified Reentered Recertified Canceled Logged Out
to Press Room
Last Series of 1934C wide face plate:
2026 May 21, 1948 Jun 7, 1948 Nov 20, 1951 Jul 8, 1948-Aug 25, 1949
Sep 23, 1949-Oct 17, 1949
Series of 1934C narrow face plates:
2028 Jun 10, 1948 Aug 11, 1948 Mar 10, 1949 Apr 1, 1949 Nov 20, 1951 Aug 18, 1948-Mar 9, 1949
Oct 14, 1949 Nov 7, 1949 Jul 8, 1949-Aug 25, 1949
Sep 23, 1949-Oct 13, 1949
2029 Jun 10, 1948 Aug 11, 1948 Jan 4, 1949 Jan 13, 1949 Nov 20, 1931 Aug 18, 1948-Jan 3, 1949
Oct 18, 1949 Oct 24, 1949 Jul 8, 1949-Aug 25, 1949
Jan 12, 1950 Feb 3, 1950 Sep 23, 1949-Oct 17, 1949
Oct 5, 1949-Jan 11, 1950
2030 Jun 10, 1948 Aug 11, 1948 Jan 4, 1949
Jan 13, 1949 Nov 20, 1951 Aug 18, 1948-Jan 3, 1949
Sep 23, 1949 Nov 7, 1949 Jul 8, 1949-Sep 22, 1949
Dec 6, 1949 Dec 8, 1949 Oct 5, 1949-Dec 5, 1949
2031 Jul 14, 1948 Aug 11, 1948 Jan 4, 1949 Jan 18, 1949
Oct 20, 1949 Oct 26, 1949
Jan 5, 1950 Feb 2, 1950
held for
exhibit or
modeling
Aug 18, 1948-Jan 3, 1949
Jul 8, 1949-Aug 25, 1949
Sep 23, 1949-Oct 19, 1949
Nov 5, 1949-Jan 4, 1950
Plate 2027 was begun June 9, 1948, but canceled unfinished on July 14, 1948. It appears to have been a narrow.
Plates 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031 were the last $5 Series of 1934C Silver Certificate face plates.
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
Micro back 637 was still in use during the first part of narrow 1934C pro-
duction! Specifically, it was on the presses between June 23, 1945, and June 14,
1949. Consequently, 637 back and 1934C narrow face production overlapped
from August 1948 to June 1949. Mule 1934C narrow faces were the result
(Figures 4a and 4b).
Rarer micro back 629 was in production only from November 17, 1947,
to February 2, 1948. It went out of production too early to have been mated
with any of the narrow faces.
Regular narrows occur in the NA, PA and QA blocks. The 637 mules are
on the NA and PA blocks.
Undoubtedly narrow regular and mule varieties also occur as star notes,
but none have been reported yet. If 637 narrow stars are found, they will be
great rarities, possibly rivaling the key to the $5 Silver Certificate series, the
Series of 1934A 637 star note.
$5 Legal Tender Faces
The wide to narrow change on the $5 Legal Tender notes also involved
an horizontal shortening across the notes. The shortening was accomplished in
identical fashion as on the Silver Certificates.
The changeover from wide to narrow on the $5 Legal Tender Notes
occurs between the 1928E and 1928F series. The $5 1928E face 627 is the last
wide, and $5 1928F face 628 the first narrow. The $5 Legal Tender plates
were not produced between July 1947 and March 1950, owing to low demand,
thus missing the end of the Julian-Snyder regime in 1949 when the narrows
first appeared on the Silver Certificates.
No rarities were created because the changeover occurred between the
1928E and F series. Also, the narrow 1928Fs arrived too late to be mated with
637 micro backs.
$5 Federal Reserve Faces
The manner in which the horizontal dimensions on the $5 Silver
Certificate and Legal Tender faces were shortened was identical. However, the
shortening across the bottom of the face of the $5 FRNs was accomplished dif-
ferently.
On Figure 5, notice how the tip of the curled line in the center of the
spiral along the bottom border stops one pair of vertical
lines short of the left side when compared to the SCs and
LTs on Figure 3. This distinctive difference is visually
enhanced by the fact
that the pairs of fine
lines within the spiral
on the FRN die were
cut a bit deeper so
that they printed more
boldly on the notes.
329
Wide Narrow
Figure 4a. $5 Series of 1934C narrow
faces when mated with micro back plate
637 produced exotic mules. The face
plate on this one is 2031, the last of the
four narrow 1934C faces. Figure 4b
(below) closeup.
Figure 5 below. Comparison between
the wide and narrow $5 Federal Reserve
faces showing how the spiral was tight-
ened up on the narrow. The means used
to shorten the lower border on the FRNs
was different from the SCs and LTs.
Contrast this with Figure 3 (shown again
below left for comparison)
Wide
Narrow
330 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
SC
LT
FRN
The differences can be seen on Figure 6 in the comparisons between the nar-
row SC and LT engravings, and those of the narrow FRN.
The shortening across the top border of the FRNs was handled identical-
ly to the SC and LT notes. See Figure 7.
Data on Table 1 reveal that the FRN die was finished in April 1948, a
month and a half before the SC die. It was used to make a 12-subject master
that was begun November 1, 1948. However, the first production plate wasn't
duplicated from the master until April 1949.
The image first appeared on the last six of the Series of 1934C face plates
made for New York, specifically plates 298 to 303, begun in April 1949. Data
for these important plates are summarized on Table 4. They comprised an
unusually late order for Series of 1934C FRN face plates. The previous New
York $5 Series of 1934C face was wide 297 certified June 2, 1947, almost two
years earlier.
The six New York plates turned out to be the last in the $5 1934C FRN
series. Consequently, usage of the narrow design for the other districts was
delayed until production of the 1934D plates beginning in August.
Fifty-one $5 Series of 1934C New York face plates were used, specifically
plates 253-289, 291-303. Thus, the six narrows represent about 12 percent of
New York 1934C production. Narrow New York faces will prove to be far
Figure 6 (above). Compare the differ-
ent appearance of the spirals used on
the SC and LT notes, and those on the
FRN notes. Notice how the spiral on
the FRN has a distinctive internal
shape and is bolder in appearance.
Figure 7 (right). Comparisons
between the upper right corners of
the wide and narrow $5s. The short-
ening was the same regardless of
class.
SC
LT
FRN
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Narrow
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
331
Table 4. Comprehensive data for the six $5 Series of 1934C New York Federal Reserve narrow face plates. Plates 298-
303 were the last $5 Series of 1934C Federal Reserve face plates made for any district.
Plate Begun Certified Reentered
Recertified Canceled Logged Out
to Press Room
Last Series of 1934C wide face plate:
297 May 9, 1947 Jun 2, 1947 Oct 11, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 Sep 20, 1949-Oct 10, 1949
Series of 1934C narrow face plates:
master Nov 1, 1948 Apr 21, 1950
298 Apr 12, 1949 May 6, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 May 13, 1949-May 17, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 20, 1950-Feb 27, 1950
299 Apr 12, 1949 May 13, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 Jul 27, 1949-Aug 25, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 13, 1950-Feb 27, 1950
300 Apr 14, 1949 May 6, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 May 13, 1949-May 17, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 13, 1950-Feb 27, 1950
301 Apr 14, 1949 May 6, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 May 13, 1949-May 17, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 13, 1950-Feb 27, 1950
302 Apr 18, 1949 May 18, 1949 Feb 21, 1950 Nov 15, 1951 Jul 27, 1949-Oct 10, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 13, 1950-Feb 20, 1950
303 Apr 18, 1949 May 6, 1949 held for
exhibit or
modeling
May 13, 1949-May 17, 1949
Dec 5, 1949-Dec 7, 1949
Feb 8, 1950-Feb 27, 1950
First Series of 1934D narrow face plates:
304 no data Aug 9, 1949
rarer than SC 1934C narrows because far fewer were made. They were made
though, and can be found through diligence and a bit of luck. They occur in
the BC block, and possibly the B*. See Figure 8.
Figure 8. Specimen from one of the six
Series of 1934C New York FRN face
plates. This note, from the BC block, is
from plate 303, the last in the series.
New York was the only district to uti-
lize narrow 1934C face plates.
Use of the narrow Series 1934C New York faces overlapped the last pro-
duction from micro back 637, the same as with the SC 1934Cs. Consequently
637 mules are possible, most likely mated with faces 298, 300, 301 and 303,
which were on the presses at the same time. If they were produced, they will
occur on the BC block and possibly the B*.
The $5 Series of 1934C 637 mules have proven to be rare regardless of
district. Only six from the BC block have been reported, but no stars. None of
the six 1934C BC block 637 mules have narrow faces. Narrow Series of 1934C
637 mule FRNs will prove to be stellar rarities if ever found!
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money332
$10 FRN Faces
The first narrow $10 face plate was certified in August
1949, a year after the narrow die had been completed. As
shown on Figure 9, the horizontal dimension of the face was
shortened by slightly trimming off the right and left ends. The
best place to look for differences is adjacent to the floral S
under the 10 in the upper right counter. One prominent white
line in the background passes through the gap between the
lower loop of the S and the border on the wide, whereas it is
missing on the narrow.
This modification was accomplished early in the resizing
program before the end of the Series of 1934C. Only one late
order, consisting of four Series of 1934C plates for the Kansas
City Federal Bank, was made using the narrow design. This is
a virtual repeat of the $5 1934C narrow faces for New York.
The memorable narrow numbers are $10 Series of
1934C Kansas City faces 86, 87, 88 and 89. The data for them
are reproduced on Table 5.
The wide Kansas City $10 Series of 1934C faces were
numbered 63 to 85. Of these, 77, 79, 82 and 83 were never
used.
The use of the narrow plates was most interesting. An
highly unusual notation in the plate history ledger reveals that
all four of the plates were sent to the press room as a set on
December 7, 1949. Obviously they were to be used together
on one four-plate press, instead of being mixed in with the
other available Kansas City $10 faces plates.
As it turned out, they were the only Kansas City $10
plates in use at the time. They kicked off a press run that ran
from December 7, 1949, to January 10, 1950. However, plate
87 went bad the first day, and was replaced by wide 85. Wide 85 lasted until
December 21st, when it was in turn replaced by 80 to complete the run.
Plate 86 showed wear by January 29th, so was replaced by wide 63.
Similarly, 88 and 89 were cycled out on January 4th and replaced by wides 64
and 65. Ironically, none of the four narrows made it to the end of the press
run.
The paramount fact is that $10 Series of 1934C narrow faces were pro-
Figure 9. Comparison between the wide
and narrow $10 Federal Reserve faces
showing the degree of horizontal short-
ening. Kansas City was the only district
to utilize narrow 1934C face plates, and
only four were made.
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Table 5. Comprehensive data for the four $10 Series of 1934C Kansas City Federal Reserve narrow face plates. Plates
86-89 were the last $10 Series of 1934C Federal Reserve face plates made for any district. The ledger shows that they
were sent to the press room as a set.
Plate Begun Finished Reentered
Recertified Canceled Logged Out
to Press Room
Last Series of 1934C wide face plate:
85 Oct 3, 1947 Nov 28, 1947 Dec 22, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 Dec 7, 1949-Dec 21, 1949
Series of 1934C narrow face plates:
86 Mar 30, 1949 Apr 18, 1949 Dec 30, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 Dec 7, 1949-Dec 29, 1949
87 Mar 30, 1949 Jun 3, 1949 Dec 9, 1949 Nov 15, 1951 Dec 7, 1949-Dec 8, 1949
88 Mar 30, 1949 Jun 7, 1949 Jan 5, 1950 Nov 15, 1951 Dec 7, 1949-Jan 4, 1950
89 Mar 5, 1949 May 5, 1949 Jan 5, 1950 held for
exhibit or
modeling
Dec 7, 1949-Jan 4, 1950
First Series of 1934D narrow face plate:
90 Nov 8, 1949
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
333
Today discoveries await lucky collectors
Wide
Narrow
Figure 9A. First reported wide to narrow changeover pair of $10 FRN Series of 1934C Kansas City notes, a pair put together by
James Hodgson.
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Figure 10 (above). Comparison between the wide and nar-
row $10 Silver Certificate faces showing the degree of hori-
zontal shortening. The oval highlights a distinctive back-
ground feature in the border that is missing on the narrow
variety.
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Narrow
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
duced for the Kansas City district. There weren't a lot of
them.
They occur on the JA block, and possibly the J*, the
only $10 blocks used by Kansas City on Series of 1934C
notes. The discovery note is J73832613A B88/1237.
The wide to narrow transition on the $10 backs
occurred in February 1952, long after printings of the FRN
1934 series had ceased. Consequently there is no possibility
for a $10 1934C narrow back. Similarly there are no 1934D
narrow backs either.
$10 Silver Certificate Faces
The first narrow $10 Silver Certificate face plate came
along on February 10, 1950, almost six months after the nar-
row $10 FRN faces. The changes on the SC die were identi-
cal to those made to shorten the horizontal dimension of the
$10 FRN face. See Figure 10.
The $10 wide to narrow SC changeover occurred
between the Series of 1934C and D plates. The changeover
plates were 1934C 232 and 1934D 233. Thus there were no
rarities created by a changeover within either series.
There is, however, an interplay between the wide and
narrow $10 back designs, and the Silver Certificate face vari-
eties. The first narrow $10 backs were printed February 14,
1952. Printings from them post-dated the last use of the
1934C SC faces by a year and a half. Consequently there is
no possibility of a narrow back 1934C note. However, there
are both wide and narrow back 1934D notes, a fact known for
decades thanks to the pioneering work of Goodman, Schwartz
and O'Donnell.
$20 FRN Faces
As shown on Figure 11, horizontal shortening on the
$20 FRN face was accomplished by trimming off the ends.
However, this put a serious squeeze on the scroll that largely
defines both ends of the design. In order to accommodate the
required shortening, it was also necessary to tighten up the
scrolls by re-engraving them. This involved no small amount
of work.
The $20 FRN face die was completed in February 1949,
and could have been used to make Series of 1934C faces.
However, it wasn't needed until October because the demand
for $20 faces was small. Consequently the changeover from
wide to narrow was made between the Series of 1934C and
1934D plates for all the districts. No rarities were created.
$50 FRN Faces
BEP records reveal that a narrow $50 FRN face die was
completed August 23, 1949. The first plate made from it was
the first $50 Series of 1934D for Boston which was certified
March 27, 1950. The changeover for all twelve districts
occurred between the 1934C and D notes as with the $20 and
$100 faces.
Figure 11 (left). Comparison between the wide and narrow $20 Federal
Reserve faces showing the degree of horizontal shortening. Notice how
the scroll was tightened up on the narrow variety.
334
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
335
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336 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
It is unclear from the die card which dimension was shortened, but it
probably was the horizontal. Whatever they did was so sophisticated or slight,
we cannot detect the difference! Maybe you can. If so, kindly advise.
$100 FRN Faces
The wide to narrow transition on the $100 faces occurred between the
1934C and D plates for all districts. The narrow $100 face die was completed
in February 1950, but not used until June well after the Series of 1934D had
begun. No rarities were created as a result of the change.
The job of shortening the horizontal dimension was accomplished rather
imaginatively in an effort to minimize re-engraving. The entire right and left
borders, inclusive of the counters in the corners and the floral design work that
connects them, were detached wholesale and slid inward.
Figure 12 shows the degree of shortening between the wide and narrow
varieties. Figure 13 shows where the border design was overrun in order to
shorten the horizontal dimensions of the design.
Wide
Narrow
Figure 12 (above). Comparison
between the wide and narrow $100
Federal Reserve faces showing the
degree of horizontal shortening.
Figure 13. The ovals show where the
borders were trimmed in order to nar-
row the width of the $100 face design.
Wide Narrow
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
$1 Backs
The first backs to be resized were the $1s. The narrow die was complet-
ed in May 1949, and the first plate in September. The vertical dimension was
shortened, thus becoming the only case of vertical shortening in the resizing,
program. The slack was taken up
by trimming- the top and bottom
borders as shown on Figure 14.
The change occurred dur-
ing production of 12-subject $1
Series of 1935D Silver
Certificates. The changeover
plates were 5015 and 5017. Data
on Table 6 reveal that wide
backs continued to be used into
March 1953, three and a half
years after the narrow design was
adopted.
337
Figure 14. The $1 back was the only
design that needed to be shortened in
the vertical direction. This was done by
trimming the top and bottom borders.
Table 6. Key plates and dates associated with the changeovers between the 12-subject wide and narrow back designs.
Changeovers are arranged in chronological order of the earliest certification of a plate with the new design. All plates treat-
ed here except $5 back 2097 were 12-subject plates.
The plate having the lowest number for a given variety usually was not the first plate with the variety to be certified or
used. Conversely, the plate having the highest number for a given variety usually was not the last plate with the variety to
be certified or used.
Last Last Date Last Date First First Date First Date
Wide a Wide a Wide Narrow a Narrow a Narrow
Plate Plate was Plate was Plate Plate was Plate was
Number Certified Used Number Certified Used
$1 wide to narrow transition:
5015 Aug 10, 1949 Mar 19, 1953 5017 Sep 22, 1949 Sep 28, 1949
$20 wide to narrow transition:
669 Jun 17, 1949 Aug 8, 1950 670 Jul 3, 1950 Jul 11, 1950
$5 wide to narrow transition:
2006 May 2, 1951 Sep 2, 1953 2007 Nov 7, 1951 Apr 7, 1952
$10 wide to narrow transition:
1389 May 4, 1951 May 26, 1953 1390 Dec 20, 1951 Feb 14, 1952
Last Last Date Last Date First First Date First Date
Narrow a Narrow a Narrow Wide II a Wide II a Wide II
Plate Plate was Plate was Plate Plate was Plate was
Number Certified Used Number Certified Used
$5 narrow to wide II transition:
2066 Feb 26, 1952 Sep 3, 1953 2067 Apr 15, 1952 Oct 24, 1952
First Date First Date
Last Last Date Last Date First a Narrow a Narrow
Wide II a Wide II a Wide II Narrow 18-Subject 18-Subject
Plate Plate was Plate was Plate Plate was Plate was
Number Certified Used Number Certified Used
$5 wide II to 18-subject narrow transition:
2096 Jun 2, 1952 Sep 2, 1953 2097 Mar 31, 1953 Apr 3, 1953
Figure 15. Comparison between the
wide and narrow $5 backs showing the
degree of horizontal shortening. The
floral spiral next to the counter was
tightened to do the job.
Figure 16. The easiest way to distinguish
between the two $5 back varieties is to count
the number of pairs of vertical lines to the right
of the tip of the line that defines the center of
the spiral.
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Narrow
338 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
There was ample opportunity for changeover pairs between the varieties
because both wide and narrow plates were used together on the same press for
so long. Dual use spanned 20 blocks. Included were 12-subject printings in
1935D blocks UE through MG, and *B and *C, but not GG. The GG block
was used exclusively for early 18-subject production, so all had narrow backs.
$5 Backs
The $5 backs always have been special to collectors because things were
complicated. A group of narrow plates was made, but then they were followed
by a throwback group of wides. No explanation has been found for this anom-
aly, but collecting the groups gives variety specialists a good chase, and some
rarities were created as well.
The shortening across the narrow backs was accomplished in a manner
similar to the faces. Figure 15 shows the degree of shortening, whereas
Figure 16 shows where to look for the most definitive differences.
One characteristic of high volume plates, such as the $5s, is that they are
manufactured on a rather continuous basis. However, there was a seven-month
hiatus before the startup of the narrow plates. The break in the routine indi-
cates that change was in the works. Similarly, there was a two and a half month
hiatus before the second group of narrow plates was begun.
The changeover between the wide and narrow $5 backs occurred
between plates 2006 and 2007, respectively begun March 16, 1951, and
October 10, 1951. The modification involved a horizontal shortening of the
design.
The last wide plate in the pre-2007 range remained in service until
September 2, 1953, right to the end of 12-subject usage. See Table 6.
Plates 2007 through 2066 were narrow. They were used from April 7,
1952 to September 3, 1953.
Plates 2067 through 2096 were finished as wides, long ago named Wide
II by Goodman, Schwartz and O'Donnell. The changeover plates, 2066 and
2067, were begun respectively January 7, 1952, and March 20, 1952. The
Wide II plates were used from October 24, 1952, to September 2, 1953.
The narrow design was re-instituted on all the 18-subject plates that fol-
lowed, beginning with 2097. The 18-subject narrow 2097 was begun October
1, 1952, finished March 31, 1953, and placed in service April 30, 1953. A cou-
ple of other 18-subject plates beat it into production on April 3rd. Both 12-
and 18-subject backs were being made for five months during the transition to
18-subject presses in mid-1953.
All three of the 12-subject groups - Wide I, narrow and Wide II - were
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 339
used on 1934D Silver Certificates, 1928F Legal Tender Notes and 1950
Federal Reserve Notes. The available varieties, especially in the Federal
Reserve Notes, are endless. All Wide II star notes in the 1950 Federal Reserve
and 1928F Legal Tender issues are rare.
The plates from all three groups were on the presses together until
September 2-3, 1953, whenl2-subject $5 back production ceased. The result is
ample opportunity for all sorts of exotic changeover pairs between the three.
$10 Backs
The first narrow $10 back plate was certified May 4, 1951.
The narrows involved a horizontal shortening as shown on
Figure 17, taken up by trimming the borders on both ends.
The narrow variety appeared on the $10 1934D Silver
Certificates and 1950 Federal Reserve Notes. Narrow back
1934D Silver Certificates are quite scarce, with the stars being
rarities. Narrow back stars in the 1950 Federal Reserve Notes
are tough, and some districts are going to prove to be very scarce
to rare when the last word is in.
$10 wide and narrow back plate usage overlapped from February 1952,
until May 1953, so changeover pairs between them were printed in both the
Silver Certificate and Federal Reserve Note series. Such changeover pairs have
proven to be very scarce because packs of $10s of that vintage were not saved
very often.
$20 Backs
The second backs to undergo resizing were the $20s which were short-
ened in 1950 in the horizontal dimension as shown on Figure 18. The prima-
ry diagnostic feature involves the floral design in the embellishment below the
plate number. As shown on Figure 19, it is more tightly rolled on the narrow
Figure 17. Comparison between the
wide and narrow $10 backs showing
the degree of horizontal shortening.
Shortening was easily accomplished by
trimming both ends.
Wide
Narrow
Figure 18 (below left). Comparison
between the wide and narrow $20
backs showing the degree of horizontal
shortening. The slack was taken up by
tightening up the folds in the banner to
the left of the counter, and allowing
the counter to overrun the border
above the banner.
Wide
Narrow
design which allowed the
designers to slide the right
border and counters in the
corners toward the center of
the note. This change is
mirrored on the left side as
well.
The changeover from
wide to narrow occurred dur-
ing production of $20 Series
of 1934D Federal Reserve
Notes. The last $20 wide
back plate was 669; the first
narrow, 670. The last certifi-
cation date for a $20 wide
production plate was June
17, 1949; the first for a nar-
row July 3, 1950.
Figure 19 (bottom). The easiest place
to see the difference between the wide
and narrow $20 backs is in the floral
design below the plate number. The
"budding leaf" has not opened as far
on the narrow design so it touches the
"stalk" to the left.
Wide
Narrow
340 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
The last date that a wide $20 was on the presses was August 8, 1950;
however, the first narrow went to press July 11th. Consequently wide and nar-
row plates were on the presses concurrently for almost a month so changeover
pairs between the two types should exist, but will prove to be scarce.
It is theoretically but remotely possible that some $20 Series of 1950 faces
were printed on wide backs. Deliveries of Series of 1950 notes began in
November 1950 for Atlanta, just a few months after the last wide back plates
went out of service. A stockpile of wide backs would have had to have been
available in order for them to have been mated with the Atlanta or later Series
of 1950 face press runs. However, we currently have no evidence that stockpil-
ing of that duration was occurring at the time.
Conversely, the action just may be in the Series of 1934C. That is, some
$20 Series of 1934C faces may have been mated with narrow backs.
There are two tantalizing entries in the plate history ledgers to this effect.
Series of 1934C Chicago face plate 122 and St. Louis face 61 were sent to press
from May 22, 1951, to May 28, 1951. This week-long period was well within
the narrow era so if there were production from those faces, it would have cre-
ated Series of 1934C narrow $20s for the two districts.
A caveat is in order. "Sent to press" in the plate history ledgers doesn't
always mean on the press. What "sent to press" means is that the plates were
checked out to the press room from the plate vault. Generally they were used,
but some simply were held in the press room as backups.
It appears in these two cases that the then obsolete 1934C plates were
used either to meet short term spikes in production or as temporarily available
backup plates within the press room. Quite likely is the possibility that they
were used alone on separate presses to print stocks for small star note runs.
Consequently our preferred choice for searching for possible $20 1934C nar-
rows is to look at the backs of Series of 1934C G* and H* notes. If any are ever
found, they will be rarities.
What about $50 and $100 Backs?
No $50 and $100 narrow back dies were made as part of the wide to nar-
row transition program. The last 12-subject $50 and $100 back plates were
166 and 132, respectively certified August 8, 1944, and July 28, 1944. Stocks
of them were more than sufficient to last to the end of the 12-subject era. No
more were made until July 9, 1953, with the advent of the18-subject plates.
How Designs Were Resized
The resizings necessarily involved making new master dies. All the
designs that were altered were shortened in the horizontal dimension except
for the $1 back which was shorted from top to bottom.
What follows is a scenario that could have been used to slightly shorten
the horizontal dimension on a note such as the $100 face in order to create a
narrower design. The same concept works for simpler designs such as the $2
and $10 faces where all that was needed was to trim off the ends.
It is likely that three images were transferred to a roll from the original
master die. This was accomplished by rocking the roll -- a soft steel cylinder --
back and forth over the hardened flat steel die until the desired part of the
image was transferred to the roll.
The largest transfer consisted of the central part of the design complete
except for the right and left borders. The other two were the right and left
borders. Undesired parts of the images inadvertently picked up on the roll
were carefully ground off, as were the parts of the central image removed from
the right and left ends to shorten the design. The roll was then hardened by
heating and quenching.
The shortened central image could then be laid in on a new soft master
die using the same transfer technology. Next the borders could be transferred
into place slightly inward from their former positions on the old master die.
'IPMG• - •$5021,,9921,i,l,vleirwCrke:tificate
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 341
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Prominent display of
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Generous area for
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September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money342
Figure 11 (shown again). Comparison
between the wide and narrow $20
Federal Reserve faces showing the
degree of horizontal shortening. Notice
how the scroll was tightened up on the
narrow variety.
Finally, if necessary, an engraver retooled the region of the splices to merge the
parts. The new master die was hardened upon completion.
More difficult were designs that didn't lend themselves to simple cut and
paste fixes. The $20 face is a good example. Notice on Figure 11 how the
scroll in the center of the border was tightened up on the narrow to accommo-
date the shortening. This involved re-engraving parts of the scrolls on both
ends. Similarly, the $5 faces and backs illustrate situations where the accom-
modation required re-engraving parts of flourishes adjacent to the counters in
the lower corners.
Present Status
The $5 narrow and Wide II backs, as well as $10
narrow backs, have been known for decades. Yet the
prices in catalogues poorly represent the true rarity of
many notes with these varieties. Now we have more of
them to contend with!
The considerable cataloging task remains to learn
of, and catalog, the narrow varieties by class, denomina-
tion and serial number block letters. This will be espe-
cially daunting in the Federal Reserve series.
For example, we have a very poor handle on the
$20 narrow back Federal Reserve Notes. Some exotic
$20s probably await discovery such as narrow back
1934C and 1950 notes. Some of the $20 1934D narrow
back stars are going to prove to be great rarities as well.
A particularly fertile area for discovery and serious
variety collecting involves changeover pairs between the
varieties. Changeover pairs were created because the
flat bed presses in use at the time held up to four plates
which circulated around the bed of the press. A stream
of sheets came off a given press which cycled through
the plates present. Wide and narrow plates typically
were mixed on a press. Consequently the sheets in the
finished stack cycled through the varieties.
The sheets were next cut in half vertically, and the
6-subject half sheets were fed through serial numbering
and separating machines. The notes were numbered
consecutively from top to bottom on the half sheets,
and then from half sheet to half sheet. The result was
either wide to narrow, or narrow to wide, changeover
pairs as numbering passed from one half sheet to the next.
Things got particularly complex when wide and narrow plates were in
concurrent use on both the back and face presses!
Just about every transition treated here involved the production of
changeover pairs. Historically, the recognized wide to narrow back changeover
pairs have not received as much attention from collectors or catalogers as has
been lavished on signature changeover pairs. In fact, they have received less
attention than non-mule to mule, or late-finished to regular, changeover pairs.
The fact is, very few wide to narrow changeover pairs have been documented
outside of the $1 backs. Most possibilities haven't even been discovered yet.
Some extraordinary combinations are awaiting discovery.
Imagine discovering any one of the several possible changeover combina-
tions involving $5 Silver Certificate Series of 1934C 637 mules and narrow
faces. Each combination would classify as an exotic. Even more spectacular
would be such a pair with star serials!
Wide
Narrow
Wide
Narrow
X.18
.12
.09
.075
.065
.0575
.049
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 343
Sources of Data
Bureau of Engraving and Printing, various dates, Certified proofs from small size cur-
rency plates. National Numismatic Collections, Museum of American History,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing, various dates, Ledgers and historical record of print-
ing plates. Record Group 318, U. S. National Archives, College Park, MD.
Goodman, Leon J., Schwartz, John L, and O'Donnell, Chuck. Standard Handbook of
Modern U. S. Paper Money. Printed by Fleetwood Letter Service, 1968, 54 p.
Oakes, Dean, and Schwartz, John. Standard Guide to Small-Size U. S. Paper Money, 1928
to Date, 2nd edition. Iola,WI: Krause Publications, 1997, 339 p.
Acknowledgments
Cecilia Wertheimer and Eric Woodward of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing Historical Research Center located and provided copies of the narrow die
cards. James Hughes provided access to the certified proofs in the National
Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. This research was sponsored by
the Society of Paper Money Collectors and the Professional Currency Dealers
Association.
Letter to
the Editor
Dear Mr. Reed, my name is David T. Lloyd, son of Bob Lloyd. I received your magazines with a fabulous article
aboout my dad. Bob age 100 and Gladys age 102 now live with my sister Martha in New York. My wife and I just
returned from visiting there. Dad is getting weak, very frail. Tires early, but for age 100 he is great. Good mind,
but has trouble remembering. Thank you for being a good friend of my dad. Sincerely, David T. Lloyd. Readers
who wish to brighten Bob Lloyd's day can send him a note or card at 285 Athens Blvd., Buffalo, NY 14223-1603 -- Editor v
Mini-dollar: Shrinking Value of the ILS,Dollar
By Leslie Deerderf
Shawn Hewitt is employed, also provides a web-based calcula-
tor (http://minneapolisfed.org/research/data/us/calc/) more
positively named "What is a dollar worth?" It allows you to
calculate comparisons of various years. So for example, our
1913 saddle blanket dollar had already shrunk to 58 cents by
the time the U.S. converted to small size notes! According to
the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco "currency was
Value of Small Size Currency in terms of CPI since 1913
TT'S WIDELY KNOWN THAT INFLATION HAS
ireduced the purchasing power of the once "Almighty
American Dollar." In fact, souvenir stands will sell you a
"shrunken dollar" that is about the size of a postage stamp.
Thirty years ago I did an exhibit at a local coin show to
dramatize this erosion of value. At the time our dollar was
"worth" about 20 cents compared to a base year. I used 1913
which is when the Federal Reserve Act x
was passed and the Fed took over con-
trol of the nation's monetary policy.
In today's global age, where for-
eigners and foreign governments
increasingly own our cash, I thought I'd
look into what has transpired over the
past three decades. The web has any
number of "currency calculators." I
like the one at factmonster.com
(http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/
A0001519.html) because it is simple.
"The Shrinking Value of the Dollar" 1913 1920 1928 1935
there provided data on which my chart above was calculated.
Coincidentally, factmonster's gauge is based on the
Consumer Price Index inflation calculator which also happens
to date to 1913 when it was invented, so it is in sync with other
analyses like mine which peg to the Fed created the same year.
"This data represents changes in prices of all goods and
services purchased for consumption by urban households... In
2002, for example, it took $17.89 to buy what $1 bought in
1913. Note that in 1920, it cost $2.02, and declined in 1925
and through the 1930s, illustrating the effect of the Great
Depression, when prices slumped. Prices did not pass $2
again until 1950," Factmonster reports.
The Minneapolis Fed Bank, where SPMC member
x
x x
1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2006 2015
reduced in size by twenty-five percent," but actually large size
are 7.5" by 3.125" (23.4375 square inches) and small size are
6.125" by 2.625" (16.078125 square inches) so my calculator
tells me it was really 31.4%. Since the notes' purchasing
power by that time had shrunk 42%, I guess the new small
sized notes were close enough to their actual value for govern-
ment work! If the Treasury had continued to reduce our notes
in parallel to their deflated value, today's FRNs would be
about 1.35 square inches (1.8 inches wide by 3/4 of an inch
high), an apt size for a note now worth less than a nickel.
No wonder goods I might have purchased with my 1975
dollar would theoretically cost me $3.76 today. Can you say
"Holy, gas prices, Batman!"?
1913 $1.00 1940 .71 1975
1915 .98 1945 .55 1980
1920 .495 1950 .41 1985
1925 .565 1955 .37 1990
1928 .58 1960 .33 1995
1930 .59 1965 .31 2000
1935 .72 1970 .255 2006
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IUM114, 11=“111.1 10;
344 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Lucky Day Discovery
An Elusive 1928
$1000 Boston Federal Reserve Note
By Donald Noss Jr. CPA
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL IN LATE JANUARY2006 from an individual living along the Gulf Coast. He
knew I collected currency and wrote some articles for a few
publications so he correctly thought I would be interested in
what happened to him on his day off from work.
Of course, he was right!
His day started out about the same as most others.
Nothing in particular happened in the morning. But things
were to change around noon. That's when lie just happened
to be at the right place at the right time to see someone slowly
open an old oversized tarnished envelope that had probably
not seen the light of day for over 50 years.
Time stood still for a few
moments as he waited for the
owner's hand to slowly remove the
contents from the envelope. Out
came another old-looking envelope,
but in better condition. Then, slow-
ly and carefully, this inner envelope
was opened to reveal a beautiful One
Thousand Dollar bill.
Well, he tried to hide his sur-
prise and think of something to say
other than "Wowowow!" He did
not collect currency, but his intuition
told him he should buy this note.
He can't remember exactly what he
said, but after sonic back and forth
banter, he told me he was able to purchase this $1000 bill for
exactly one thousand dollars within a few minutes of setting
his eyes upon it. He thought this could be his "Lucky Day."
He knew $1000 bills were still legal tender even though
never seen in ordinary day-to-day transactions. So, lie decided
to do a little research as soon as he deposited the bill in his
safety deposit box. After all, he hoped it was worth more than
the face value, a mere $1000 dollars.
It was a beautiful bill in every respect. It looked essen-
tially new and he did not want to bend or even breathe on it.
In fact, it was difficult to tell if it had ever seen the inside of a
wallet or pocket. Was there a fold in it or not? Hmmm. The
"Series of 1928" caught his attention. That seemed old.
And the golden obligation, "Redeemable in Gold,"
increased his heart rate a beat or two. However, it was the
word "Boston" printed inside the Federal Reserve Seal and
not the word "Gold" that made this note very rare.
And how valuable?
Well, who knows for sure until it goes up
someone offers a price that cannot be refused?
How many of these exist for this note cataloged as Fr.
2210-A? That source says 58,320 were printed, but it seems
not many exist today, perhaps only 6 or 7 of them. Catalog
values in the four figures are ridiculously low. The immense
Heritage Auctions data base lists no auction appearances of
one of these notes in their sales. In fact, it is possible that no
currency buyer has ever had the chance to buy one of these at
any auction. I'd appreciate knowing otherwise.
Large denomination bills are disappearing every day
into the portfolios of hard core currency collectors, and the
number of those individuals is increasing as you read this. I
expect this new discovery might find its way into a collector's
portfolio too, if the "Price Is Right." But the owner of this
rare little 1928 $1000 is not exactly in any hurry to dispose of
his fortuitous "New Find."
He knows it is quite rare and may be satisfied to watch it
grow in value while some serious investment money migrates
from coins to paper money. Demand from collectors for
these rare high-denomination bills continues to increase at the
same time some of these bills are actually being destroyed each
year by Federal Reserve Bank employees. That may be hard
to believe, but then again, that is supposedly their lawful duty
when these notes appear at the banks.
The owner intends to have this note graded to enhance
its potential value. So he ordered a $14 Plexiglas holder to
help guard this precious cargo in the mail. Given the rarity of
this note, that did not seem too extravagant an expense. After
all, when this article was written, there was a 1928 $1000
Boston note offered for sale on the Internet for $65,000.
The condition of that bill pales somewhat in compari-
son to this one. You know what they say "Condition,
Condition, Condition!"
If there's a moral to this story, let's just say keep your
eyes open and your antennae up.
for sale or
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
345
Why Series of 1929 Nationals Exist for Banks
That Reported No Circulations
Louis Van Belkum's
"No Circulation" National Banks
Revisited
By Lee Lofthus
Introduction
L OUIS VAN BELKUM'S LANDMARK WORK NATIONAL BANKSof the Note Issuing Period 1863 -1935 (1968) identified 15 banks thatissued Series of 1929 National Bank Notes yet reported no NationalBank Note circulations in the annual reports of the Comptroller of
the Currency. By the time the Hickman/Oakes (1982) and first Kelly (1982)
reference books were published, Van Belkum's work in the Comptroller's
Currency and Bond Ledgers demonstrated that there were actually 27 National
Banks that issued Series of 1929 notes, but reported no taxable circulations.
This article will explain why those 27 banks issued National Bank Notes with-
out reporting any circulation. It will also shed light on why it is important to
collectors to understand the real meaning of the various circulation related data
in our standard reference books.
Reporting National Bank Note Circulations
As a precursor to understanding why certain banks could issue notes
without reporting circulations, some background on how banks prepared their
circulation reports, and how Van Belkum used those reports, is important.
The starting point is the National Bank Act, which enabled banks to purchase
government bonds which were then used to secure a circulation of National
Bank Notes. Once a bank had purchased bonds and deposited them with the
Treasurer of the United States, National Bank Notes in an amount equivalent
to the value of the bonds were sent to the bank by the Comptroller of the
Currency beginning in 1900. Prior to that, the banks received circulation equal
to 90 percent of the value of the bonds.
Section 5214 of the National Bank Act required each bank to pay a tax on
the amount of the outstanding notes it placed in circulation, and Section 5215
required the banks to report their taxable circulations semi-annually to the
Comptroller of the Currency. During the Series of 1929 era, the Comptroller
published the year-end circulations in his Annual Report in tables or supple-
ments titled "Individual Statements of Condition of National Banks At The
Close of Business December 31" each year. Van Belkum used these circula-
tions from the annual reports issued through 1934 when he compiled the bank-
by-bank data in National Banks of the Note Issuing Period 1863 -1935. Van
Belkum's 1968 book listed all the chartered National Banks, whether or not
they issued notes or reported circulations.
By the small size era only 80 to 85 percent of the chartered banks were
issuing Nationals. The remainder ceded their circulation privilege to the
Federal Reserve banks.
346 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
The "No Reported Circulation" Situation
While writing his 1968 book, Van Belkum was aware of notes from banks
claiming no circulation, so he marked the circulation as "None*." Such situa-
tions would not have struck Van Belkum as too unusual because he knew that
banks only had to report taxable circulations for which they were liable. It was
entirely possible to have situations where banks received and issued notes, yet
had liquidated their liability for the notes, and thus could legitimately report no
circulation. This happened with some frequency when bankers sold their
bonds and deposited lawful money into the Treasury redemption fund in order
to retire their circulations. That action freed the bank from any tax on the
notes, and thus freed the bank from reporting circulation to the Comptroller.
Van Belkum offered the following explanation for how some bankers
could report no circulation despite their National Bank Notes sitting in the
hands of collectors:
"There is one important thing to note, that is the banks marked "none."
By "none" is meant that the bank did not have any circulation listed in all of
the Annual Reports of the Comptroller of the Currency in which it appears.
This does not mean that the bank could not have issued notes. A bank could
have ordered notes, placed them in circulation, and then deposited money,
with the Treasurer of the United States for their redemption. The report,
when it came out, would show none, meaning there was no circulation upon
which the bank could be taxed. The asterisk next to a "none" means notes are
known on the bank."
At this stage Van Belkum was working from the Comptroller's annual
reports, not the Currency and Bond Ledgers in the National Archives. As a
result, his awareness of the "None*" banks was based on information of notes
known to him or reported by dealers and collectors, not the actual notes issued.
The Original 15 Circulation "None*" Banks
When Van Belkum's book was published, there were 15 small-size era banks
identified with a status of "None*." They are listed here on Table 1. None
declared any circulation in any annual report through 1934, the year the
Comptroller's reports last included circulation data.
Table 1: Status of Van Belkum's Original 15 Circulation "None*" Banks
Notes
Believed Actual Notes in
Charter Reported Known Note Issued Census
Number Bank Name Town State Circulation In 1968 Status in 2005
13399 Pipestone NB Pipestone MN None Yes None Issued 0
13428 Red River NB in Clarksville TX None Yes 1929 T1 issued 19
13774 Cleves NB Cleves OH None Yes 1929 T2 issued 13
13860 Crafton NB Crafton PA None Yes None Issued 0
13903 FNB in Peru Peru IL None Yes None Issued 0
13963 NB of Sterling Sterling IL None Yes None Issued 0
13974 FNB in Clarksville TX None Yes 1929 T2 issued 13
14016 NB of Ludington Ludington MI None Yes None Issued 0
14116 Coldwater NB Coldwater MI None Yes None Issued 0
14219 NB&TC of Erie Erie PA None Yes 1929 T2 issued 28
14241 FNB in Condon Condon OR None Yes None Issued 0
14245 Milwaukee Ave NB Chicago IL None Yes 1929 T2 issued 13
14252 FNB in Pierre Pierre SD None Yes 1929 T2 issued 8
14283 Bexar County NB San Antonio TX None Yes 1929 T2 issued 12
14320 Liberty NB&TC Louisville KY None Yes 1929 T2 issued 63
Notes: a) Reported circulation based on Comptroller of the Currency Annual Reports 1929-1935
b)Actual issue status verified in the National Currency and Bond Ledgers, National Archives
c) Notes Known per Don C. Kelly National Bank Notes Census 2005
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
347
The President, Officers
and Board of Governors wish a
BIG SPMC THANK YOU
to all of our contributors
to the 2006 Tom Bain Raffle
with special thanks to the
following major contributors:
R. M. Smythe
Hugh Shull
John Rowe
Heritage/Currency Auctions of America
Don and Judith Kagin
Robert Kravitz
and all the other individuals and firms
who contributed to this
successful event including
David Cieniewicz, Mark Anderson, Gene Hessler,
Tom Denly, Ron Horstmann, PCGS, BNR,
John and Nancy Wilson, Alex Perakis
Also a big shout out to
Lyn Knight
for the wonderful display
of 30 years of Memphis shows
AECi'DY.NBfl7EMIONTATESWBmMBY.
FIRST
NATIONAL BANK IN
PIERRE
SOUTH DAKOTA
WILL PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND
minim DOLL/MS
A000187 14252
114252 A000187
TWENTYIWILARS
348 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
A high grade survivor from the notes
issued in 1935 by the First National
Bank in Pierre, SD. Chartered in
August 1934, the bank did not issue its
first notes until February, 12, 1935.
(Photograph courtesy of Peter
Huntoon)
Van Belkum then went on to research the notes issued using the Comptroller's
Currency and Bond Ledgers in the National Archives. These data eventually
appeared in the Hickman/Oakes (1982) and Kelly (1982) reference works.
I compared the Hickman/Oakes and Kelly entries against Van Belkum's origi-
nal 15 "None*" list. That comparison produced the results shown on Table 1:
Column 7 reveals that only 8 of the 15 "None*" banks actually issued notes.
The other 7 entries were erroneous, likely because the early census information
confused notes known from similarly named banks in the same towns.
However, because the new reference books were organized around the note-
issuing banks, not the non-issuing banks, there was no obvious updating of the
Table 2: The 27 National Banks Issuing Series 1929 Notes Without Reporting Circulations
Notes Notes in
in Van Denominations issued Kelly
Charter Reported Belkum per National Census
Number Bank Name Town State Circulation in 1968 Currency Ledgers in 2005
11397 FNB of Tonkawa Tonkawa OK None No 1929 T2 $5 0
12801 NB of Commerce Hugo OK None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 $50 1
13246 FNB of Bolivar Bolivar NY None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 4
13428 Red River NB in Clarksville TX None Yes 1929 T1 $5 $10 $20 19
13540 Linden NB Linden NJ None No 1929 T1 $10 $20 3
13562 Colorado NB in Colorado TX None No 1929 T1 $10 $20 0
13681 NB of Commerce Memphis TN None No 1929 T2 $50 $100 4
13696 Prange NB New Douglas IL None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 16
13774 Cleves NB Cleves OH None Yes 1929 T2 $5 $10 13
13894 Windham NB Bellows Falls VT None No 1929 T2 $5 4
13974 FNB in Clarksville TX None Yes 1929 T2 $5 $10 13
14032 Lansing NB Lansing MI None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 23
14153 FNB in Carteret NJ None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 0
14173 FNB of Golconda IL None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 5
14219 NB&TC of Erie Erie PA None Yes 1929 T2 $10 $20 $50 $100 28
14245 Milwaukee Ave NB Chicago IL None Yes 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 13
14252 FNB in Pierre Pierre SD None Yes 1929 T2 $10 $20 8
14261 Goshen NB Bethesda OH None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 4
14273 Citizens NB at Brownwood TX None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 $50 1
14282 Wymore NB Wymore NE None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 12
14283 Bexar County NB San Antonio TX None Yes 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 12
14285 Mount Olive NB Mount Olive IL None No 1929 T2 $100 5
14297 NB of Lanark Lanark IL None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 $50 7
14302 Stockmens NB Cotulla TX None No 1929 T2 $10 $20 2
14304 NB of Commerce Pawhuska OK None No 1929 T2 $20 4
14305 NB of West NY West NY NJ None No 1929 T2 $5 $10 $20 2
14320 Liberty NB&TC Louisville KY None Yes 1929 T2 $10 63
Note: Reported circulation based on Comptroller of the Currency Annual Reports 1929-1935
14219 A000787
-` THE NATIONAL BANK AND
TRUST COMPANY OF
ERIE
PENNSYLVANIA
Atp Will PAT TO THE DEARER OH DE1+1.10
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A000787 14219
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 349
20
"None*" list, nor was there any specific explanation as to why a note-issuing
bank may have declared no circulation. Collectors realized that the 1968
"None*" information was outdated, and focused instead on the wealth of infor-
mation mined by Van Belkum from the Archives. Little additional attention
was given to the "None*" banks.
Revisitinc, the "None*" Banks in 2006
I could not see any reason a bank would have had an incentive to deposit
lawful money into the redemption fund in order to avoid declaring a taxable
circulation. It did not make economic sense — any negative consequence of
paying the circulation tax would have been outweighed by the gain from keep-
ing the notes and loaning or investing them.
Furthermore, it was apparent that there might be additional banks that
The National Bank and Trust Company
of Erie was one of the "no circulation"
banks originally identified by Louis Van
Belkum in 1968. The bank delayed
issuing notes until 1935, and issued
Series of 1929 Type 2 notes only.
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IleaM0111■7 (11CTICICIENTCIC
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350 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Liberty National Bank and Trust
Company was chartered in January
1935 and is popular as the highest char-
ter number of any note-issuing bank.
The note-issuing era ended before the
bank was required to report its circula-
tion at the end of 1935.
issued notes, but declared no circulations. Van Belkum noticed the original
"None*" banks because he had seen or knew of reported notes from those
banks. If the 1968 census didn't make him aware a bank had known notes, Van
Belkum had no way to know the "no circulation" entry in the Comptroller
Annual Reports needed to be marked with an asterisk. It appeared there was
still more to be learned about the "None*" banks.
The first step in pursuing the "None*" bank question was to do a com-
prehensive reconciliation between all the "no circulation" banks listed in Van
Belkum (1968) and the list of note-issuing banks in Kelly (2004). This recon-
This is a section of the National
Currency and Bond Ledger for Charter
14173, the First National Bank of
Golconda, IL. Although the bank was
chartered in May 1934, the left hand
portion of the ledger titled "National
Bank Currency Issued" clearly shows
the first note deliveries did not occur
until March 12, 1935. This explains
why the bank reported no taxable circu-
lation in 1934.
ciliation would determine if other banks issued notes without reporting any cir-
culation. The results of that reconciliation are shown on Table 2.
There were a total of 27 banks that issued Series 1929 Nationals without
reporting taxable circulations. Table 2 shows that 7 banks erroneously report-
ed in 1968 as note-issuing banks have dropped off the list, 8 original Van
Belkum "None*" banks remain, and 19 banks were added.
The next step was to obtain the Comptroller of the Currency Annual
Report supplements for the years 1929 to 1935 in order to confirm that these
27 note-issuing banks never reported any circulations. This verification was
made. At this point, a validated list was in hand of the 27 "no circulation"
banks, but there was still no explanation of why these banks issued notes with-
out reporting circulations. That meant it was time to visit the Currency and
Bond Ledgers at the National Archives.
Why Note -Issuing Banks Reported No Circulations
Table 3 summarizes my findings from the Currency and Bond Ledgers
for all 27 banks that issued notes without reporting circulations. Several inter-
esting facts emerge from the table. First, the most important point is that 21 of
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352 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Table 3: Explanations for No Reported Circulations of Series 1929 Note-Issuing National Banks
Charter Reported Date of Date First Explanation for Not
Number Bank Name Town ST Circulation Organization Note Issued Reporting Circulation
11397 FNB of Tonkawa Tonkawa OK None 7/12/1919 1/9/1935 First notes issued in 1935
12801 NB of Commerce Hugo OK None 7/29/1925 2/26/1935 First notes issued in 1935
13246 FNB of Bolivar Bolivar NY None 9/26/1928 1/28/1935 First notes issued in 1935
13428 Red River NB in Clarksville TX None 2/17/1930 5/2/1930 Bonds sold July 1930
13540 Linden NB Linden NJ None 4/14/1931 12/8/1931 Bank in liquidation status
Dec 1931
13562 Colorado NB in Colorado TX None 7/6/1931 10/14/1931 Bonds sold by Dec 1931
13681 NB of Commerce Memphis TN None 4/29/1933 9/2/1933 Notes withheld from
circulation until 1935
13696 Prange NB New Douglas IL None 5/25/1933 2127/1934 Bank liquidated Dec 1934
13774 Cleves NB Cleves OH None 9/11/1933 2/1/1935 First notes issued in 1935
13894 Windham NB Bellows Falls VT None 12/5/1933 2/14/1935 First notes issued in 1935
13974 FNB in Clarksville TX None 1/13/1934 1/21/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14032 Lansing NB Lansing MI None 1/24/1934 6/5/1934 Bonds sold Sept 1934
14153 FNB in Carteret NJ None 5/10/1934 2/2/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14173 FNB of Golconda IL None 5/8/1934 3/12/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14219 NB&TC of Erie Erie PA None 7/10/1934 1/16/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14245 Milwaukee Ave NB Chicago IL None 7/31/1934 1/17/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14252 FNB in Pierre Pierre SD None 8/5/1934 2/12/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14261 Goshen NB Bethesda OH None 9/1/1934 2/18/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14273 Citizens NB at Brownwood TX None 6/13/1934 3/8/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14282 Wymore NB Wymore NE None 9/22/1934 1/4/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14283 Bexar County NB San Antonio TX None 10/10/1934 1/19/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14285 Mount Olive NB Mount Olive IL None 7/20/1934 2/23/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14297
NB of Lanark Lanark IL None 10/25/1934 12/28/1934 Notes not received until
January 1935
14302 Stockmens NB Cotulla TX None 9/25/1934 1/21/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14304 NB of Commerce Pawhuska OK None 11/21/1934 3/5/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14305 NB of West NY West NY NJ None 10/25/1934 2/14/1935 First notes issued in 1935
14320 Liberty NB&TC Louisville KY None 1/8/1935 2/6/1935 First notes issued in 1935
Notes:
a)Reported circulation based on Comptroller of the Currency Annual Reports 1929-1935
b)Organization date taken from Comptroller of the Currency National Currency & Bond Ledgers, National Archives
c) Note issue dates taken from Comptroller of the Currency National Currency & Bond Ledgers, National Archives
d)When bonds were sold, taxable circulation liability was ended, thus no year-end circulation reporting was required
the 27 banks all shared the same simple reason for never reporting circulations:
they delayed issuing their first National Bank Notes until 1935, the year the
National Bank Note circulation privilege was ended by the federal government.
When the circulation privilege ended, so did circulation reporting, and these 21
banks simply never had a chance to file a year-end report of their notes in circu-
lation.
The Lansing National Bank's owners
sold their bonds in September 1934 and
thus had no outstanding liability when
reports were due at year's end.
(Photograph courtesy of Heritage
Auctions)
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 353
The last bank on Table 3 is Charter 14320, the popular Liberty National
Bank and Trust Company, Louisville, Kentucky, sought by collectors as the
highest charter number of the note-issuing National Banks. The hank was
chartered in 1935 and issued its first notes in 1935. It is one of the few banks
that issued only during 1935 for which more than a handful of notes are known
to collectors today.
The first three banks on Table 3 delayed issuing notes for several years
The National Bank of Commerce in
Memphis received $1 million in
National Bank Notes in September
1933. However, the right hand portion
of the ledger showing redemptions of
worn notes is entirely blank, clear indi-
cation the notes were withheld from
circulation until after redemption
reporting ended in July 1935. The 4
surviving notes known today reveal the
bank eventually released the notes into
circulation.
after they opened: Charter 11397, Tonkawa, Oklahoma, waited since 1919;
Charter 12801, Hugo, Oklahoma, waited since 1925; and Charter 13246,
Bolivar, New York, waited since 1928. These bankers most likely took advan-
tage of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act provisions that permitted National Banks
to cede their circulation privilege to the Federal Reserve banks rather than
manage their own circulations.
For whatever reason, these bankers decided in late 1934 or 1935 to pur-
chase bonds and issue notes, just before the National Currency era ended. The
Currency and Bond Ledgers show conclusively that these banks did not make
any unusual deposits of lawful money in order to avoid reporting taxable circu-
lations, they simply began their note issuance too late to be included in the
Comptroller reports. Van Belkum, in 1968, could not have known this until he
moved from the Comptroller reports to the Currency and Bond Ledgers.
The other 6 banks had more complicated circumstances for not reporting
circulations. These are discussed below individually.
Bond Sales Account for Some "No Circulation" Reports
Charter 14032, Lansing National Bank, was organized January 24, 1934,
and received its charter in February. The first notes arrived in a single ship-
ment sent June 5, 1934, a shipment that consisted of $250,000 in Type 2 $10s
and $20s. However, the bankers sold their bonds on September 21, 1934, to
the Federal Reserve System, permitting the Federal Reserve to assume the cir-
culation in accordance with Federal Reserve Act (December 23, 1913, c. 6, §18,
38 Stat. 268). As a result, the bankers had no outstanding liability for their
notes when calendar year 1934 ended, and thus had no circulation to report
despite the large number of notes issued. There are 23 notes from the bank
known in the Kelly 2005 census, one of the larger known figures among the "110
circulation" banks.
The National Bank of Commerce in Memphis Holds its Notes
Another great insight into circulation reporting comes from the actions of
the bankers at Charter 13681, the National Bank of Commerce, Memphis,
Tennessee. The bank was organized and received its charter in April 1933.
354 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Bonds totaling $1 million were deposited in September 1933, and the bankers
quickly received a cool million dollars in Type 2 $50 and $100 National Bank
Notes. Van Belkum (1968) reported no circulation for Charter 13681, whereas
Kelly (2004) reported the "out in 1935" amount as the full $1 million in notes.
What was going on?
The Currency and Bond Ledger for the bank is revealing: not a single
note was redeemed from circulation between the September 1933 delivery and
the close of the national era in July 1935. If these notes had been placed in cir-
culation, at least some of them would have found their way to the redemption
bureau. It is clear that the bankers held their $1 million in Nationals for at least
two years before releasing them, and never reported the notes as circulating.
This leads into another interesting facet of reporting circulations, namely that
there were two working definitions for "circulation."
The predominantly accepted definition for "circulation" was the face value
of notes issued against the deposit of bonds and shown as outstanding on the
books of the Comptroller of the Currency. In the case of the National Bank of
Commerce, this amount was $1 million. However, given the ambiguity of the
regulations surrounding circulation reports, some bankers employed an alter-
nate "circulation" definition and reported only the actual value of notes outside
the bank or "on the street." (Pratt, 1933, pp. 189-190).
A dramatic case of holding notes and reporting only the notes on the
street as circulation occurred with Charter 2566, The First National Bank of
Butte, Montana ("The Startling Case of the First National Bank of Butte,
Montana," Paper Money, May/June 2006). The bankers at the National Bank of
Commerce in Memphis evidently took the same measures in order to avoid the
tax liability of a million dollars in Nationals on the street. Because 4 notes are
known to collectors today (Kelly 2005 census), it is apparent the bankers let
their notes loose once their bonds were redeemed in July 1935 and the liability
for the notes became the responsibility of the Treasury.
Bank Liquidations Impacted Reported Circulations
The Prange National Bank of New Douglas, Illinois, Charter 13696, was
organized and chartered in May 1933. The bank received its first notes in
February 1934. The president and cashier of the bank were A.F. and W.W.
Prange. They had bonds backing a circulation of $25,000, and issued a total of
$28,630 in notes, counting the replacement notes issued for worn and unfit
redeemed notes. However, the bank was placed into voluntary liquidation on
December 10, 1934. Rather than submit a 1934 year-end report of condition to
the Comptroller, the bankers submitted liquidation paperwork and thus had no
circulation to report.
Incidentally, A.F. and W.W. Prange did not leave banking altogether, as
they soon started Charter 14285 in nearby Mount Olive, IL. They apparently
had a knack for issuing notes without reporting circulations, as their Mount
Olive National Bank also appears on Table 3 as another "no circulation" bank.
Another liquidating bank that reported no circulation was Charter 13540,
Linden National Bank, New Jersey. Linden's case was far more complex than
the Prange National Bank case. The Linden National Bank was organized April
14, 1931, and received its charter later that month. It assumed the $111,920 in
outstanding circulation of the Linden National Bank and Trust Company on
November 8, 1931. Shortly thereafter, in two deliveries occurring December 8
and December 17, 1931, it received the entirety of its own Nationals totaling
$97,440.
However, just as its own notes were arriving, the Linden National Bank
management voted to liquidate the bank. The Comptroller recorded the volun-
tary liquidation on January 21, 1932, and recorded the sale of the bonds backing
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 355
Society members benefit
▪
SPMC programs with their gifts
ik
RECENT GENEROUS BEQUEST TO SPMC BY
deceased member Forrest Daniel will doubtless benefit
members for many years as SPMC Governors determine how
to use the income from those funds. It was Mr. Daniel's desire
that the Society he long labored for and esteemed would con-
tinue to grow and benefit its members.
However, EVERY member has the opportunity annually
to contribute to two excellent SPMC projects when they
receive their annual clues/contribution envelope in our
Sept/Oct issue. Each reader should have received such an
envelope in this issue. Of course, this modest check off enve-
lope allows annual members to "re-up" for the coming year,
but also allows BOTH annual and Life Members an easy way
to assist the Society in a meaningful way.
Although our Society doesn't "hard sell" these solicita-
tions like many other groups do, both George W. Wait
Memorial Fund and D.C. Wismer Memorial Fund are impor-
tant to the life of SPMC and its members. Annually our
George Wait Memorial Prize, which honors a founding mem-
ber who was instrumental in our early book publishing pro-
grams, provides a grant for an author(s) working on a future
reference book for the paper money community. The Wismer
Fund, named for pioneering obsolete note cataloger, assists
publication of our state-by-state obsolete note and scrip books.
In 2005 contributions to the Wait Fund were $477.50;
Wismer Fund, $532.50; and unspecified donations, $460.
Donations for 2006 are Wait Fund, $315; Wismer Fund,
$365; and other purposes, $1000 in addition to Daniel's
$10,000 bequest.
SPMC thanks all who have contributed to these worthy
projects. They include Joseph Adamski, Gary Anderson,
Richard Anderson, Paul Andrews, Bavid Balkwill, David
Berridge, David Bossert, F. Carl Braun, Mark Campbell,
James Carlson, Tom Carson, Bert Cohen, Howard Cohen,
James Cohen, Dean Paul Davis, Jim Davis, Donald DeKalb,
Celeste DeZan Jr., George Decker, Cliff Dietrich, David
Eaton, G.B. Eddy, Donald Farr, John Ferm, Glenn Fishe,
Paul Fisher, William Frey, Robert Galiette, Dustin Gibson,
Donald Gilletti Jr., John Glynn, Robert Goller, Ronald
Gustafson, Ronald Hamm, Emmett Haralson, Coleman
Hartigan, Randy Haynie, David Hinkle, Richard Horst,
Also, Lowell Horwedel, Milton Huff, Allan Huitt, John
W. Jackson, Keith James, Peter Jones, Bruce Keener, Bob
Kosmo, Gerald Loegler, Lee Lofthus, Kevin Lonergan, Alvin
Macomber, Samuel Muniz Torres, Allen Munro, Eric
Newman, Clark Nixon, John O'Neill, Peter Papadeas, J. Roy
Pennell _Jr., Russell Pike, S.D. Reiss, Ellen Richardson, Joseph
Ridder, N.A. Rieger, Gaylen Rust, Stephen Schroeder, Harton
Semple Jr., Donald Skinner, Albert L. Smith III, Bruce
Spence, Radford Stearns, D.R. Sullivan, Greg Super, Gerald
Sutphin Jr., Bill Tatham, John Vertrees Jr., Randy Vogel, Bob
Waszilycsak, Bernhard Wilde, Ron Yeager and William
Youngerman.
Since SPMC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational
organization, all contributions are fully tax deductible. So why
not add your gift and name to a future roll of SPMC's bene-
factors? Our programs are designed to promote paper money
research and publications and our hobby.
356 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
the entirety of the bank's assumed and own circulation. This is an interesting
case because the bankers had their notes on the street, including the assumed cir-
culation from the Linden National Bank and Trust Company plus notes from
their own December 1931 shipment, but still didn't report any taxable circula-
tion. Obviously, they made the decision to liquidate in December, filed the liq-
uidation papers, and therefore made no 1931 year-end report of condition
despite having notes on the street. Linden National Bank notes are a rare find —
only 3 notes are in the Kelly 2005 census, and all are G or G/VG condition.
Two Unusual Situations in Texas
The last two banks "None*" banks are both from Texas. Charter 13562,
Colorado National Bank in Colorado, Texas, was organized July 6, 1931, and
closed February 27, 1932 by being consolidated with the City National Bank of
Colorado. Despite its short existence, Charter 13562 saw some lively circulation
activity, and is one of the most interesting "None*" bank stories. After opening
in July 1931, in early September the bankers assumed the $25,000 circulation of
Charter 2801, The Colorado National Bank. In October, the new Colorado
National Bank began receiving small deliveries of notes representing replacement
notes for the unfit currency redeemed from the assumed charter, and some
redemptions from its own meager issuances. The result was only $6,300 in notes
were issued under its own name, all being Type 1 $10 and $20 notes. Not a sin-
gle note from Charter 13562 is reported, making it one of three "None*" banks
with no known survivors.
Why didn't Colorado National Bank in Colorado report any circulation at
the end of 1931? Clearly it had notes outstanding between its first note issuances
in October 1931 and its consolidation with City National Bank in February 1932.
The answer is found in the 1931 year-end report of condition filed by the
bank. That strange report said the bank had no bonds, no assets, and no circula-
tion. The bankers were in the process of preparing for the merger with the City
National Bank, and had sold their bonds in December. Consequently, the out-
standing notes were the liability of the Treasurer, and the bankers had no liabili-
ty for the 1931 year-end report.
Red River National Bank in
Clarksville issued just $12,600 in
notes. Serial Number 1 notes account
for 18 of the 19 reported notes today.
(Photograph courtesy of Heritage
Auctions/Currency Auctions of
America)
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The final "None*" bank to discuss is Charter 13438, Red River National
Bank in Clarksville. The Red River National Bank in Clarksville was organized
February 17, 1930, and assumed the $60,000 circulation of Charter 4982, the
Red River Bank of Clarksville, on April 8, 1930. In May 1930, the new bank
received $6,600 in replacement notes for a sizeable redemption of Charter 4982
Nationals. On July 21, 1930, another delivery of replacement notes was sent
after redemption of $6,000 in large and small size notes from Charter 4982. The
$12,600 sent in replacement notes turned out to be the only notes issued with the
new title.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
357
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An uncut sheet of Red River National
Bank in Clarksville, Texas $5s before cut
to satisfy desires of multiple collectors.
(ex-Green, ex-Philpott, ex-Heritage/CAA
Sept. 9, 2004, lot 17362)
On July 30, 1930, the bankers sold their bonds to
the Federal Reserve and ended their circulation liabili-
ty. In 1932, when Red iver National Bank assumed
the $20,000 circulation for the First National Bank of
Avery, lawful money covering that bank's circulation
was deposited, precluding Red River from any obliga-
tion to report that circulation.
Notes from Red River National Bank in
Clarksville are great to collect. The $5, $10, and $20
serial number 1 sheets apparently were saved by Col.
Green, and then salvaged from the Green estate by
William Philpott. Those three sheets now have been
cut, and they account for 18 of the 19 notes known in
the Kelly 2005 census. A lone circulated $20 note sur-
vives from the replacement notes put on the street by
the bank, a telling insight into just how completely a
small issuance of $12,600 could be consumed.
Conclusion
Van Belkum's lesson from 1968 still stands today:
just because a bank did not report any circulation did
not mean it could not have issued National Bank Notes
— 27 such banks in the small size national era did just
that. Why they did this depended on the special cir-
cumstances at each bank. We now know that 21 of the
27 "no circulation" banks simply began their note
issuance in 1935, too late to report year-end circula-
tions. We also know the other 6 banks avoided report-
ing because they eliminated their taxable circulation
liability, either by selling their bonds or closing the
bank prior to the end of the reporting period.
This story emphasizes that collectors should con-
tinue to be cautious in making rarity assessments using
circulation data from any single reference source. Van
Belkum (1968) is outdated for the "None* banks."
The Comptroller of the Currency annual report sup-
plements show taxable circulation amounts that may or
may not reflect the notes a bank put on the street, and
one needs several successive years of reports to see if
bond sales may be masking true note availability (see
Huntoon, 1995, pp. 260-265). Hickman/Oakes and
Kelly show amounts outstanding at close, or outstand-
ing in 1935, neither of which may be the taxable circu-
lation amounts, or even the notes the bank had on the
street. One should distill the circulation-related data
from all the above sources before making final judg-
ment upon how many notes a bank had circulating on
the street.
Many collectors have sought notes from the
14000 Charters as their collecting goal. The 27
"None*" banks would make another interesting goal,
not to mention a challenging one. As shown on Table 2, only 10 of the banks
have 10 or more notes known today, and 13 of the banks are truly quite rare
with less than 5 notes known each, including 3 that are unknown in the Kelly
2005 census.
358
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Acknowledgments
Peter Huntoon's tremendous expertise and manuscript suggestions were
invaluable. Wayne DeCesar of the National Archives assisted my search for
certain ledger pages for closed banks in the Currency and Bond ledgers.
Finally, this article was written with great appreciation for Louis Van Belk-urn's
work in the Currency and Bond Ledgers at the Archives. I would also like to
thank Heritage Auctions for permission to publish several of the photographs
accompanying this article including the uncut sheet of Red River notes.
References and Sources of Information
Comptroller of the Currency. Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency. Washington
D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1927-1934.
Comptroller of the Currency. "History and Development of the National Bank Note,"
Seventy-Third Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency for the Year Ended October
31, 1935. Washington D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1936, pp.
817-842.
Comptroller of the Currency. Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency, Supplements,
Table 103, "Individual Statements of Condition of National Banks at the Close of
Business December 31." Washington D.C.: United States Government Printing
Office, 1927-1934.
Comptroller of the Currency. National Currency and Bond Ledgers. U.S. National
Archives, Archives II, College Park, MD, 1 9 1 9-1 93 5 .
Heritage/Currency Auctions of America. Currency Auctions of America, Various Public
Auction Catalogs. Heritage Galleries, Dallas, TX, various dates.
Hickman, John, and Dean Oakes. Standard Catalog of National Bank Notes, Second Edition.
Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1990.
Huntoon, Peter. United States Large Size National Bank Notes. Laramie, WY: Society of
Paper Money Collectors, 1995.
Kelly, Don C. National Bank Notes, A Guide with Prices, Fourth Edition. Oxford, OH: The
Paper Money Institute, 2004.
Kelly, Don C., and James M. Kelly. National Bank Notes, Fourth Edition; National Bank Note
Census, Version 2.0, CD Supplement to National Bank Notes, Fourth Edition. Oxford,
OH, 2003-2005.
Knight, Lynn. Lynn Knight Currency Auctions. Various Public Auction Catalogs. Lynn
Knight, Overland Park, KS, Various Dates.
Lofthus, Lee. "The Startling Case of the First National Bank of Butte, Montana." Paper
Money (Volume XLV, No. 3, Whole No. 213), May/June 2006, pp. 178-192.
Pratt, A.S. & Sons. Pratt's Digest of Federal Banking Laws. Washington D.C.: A.S. Pratt &
Sons, Inc., National Bank Agents, 1933.
Pratt, A.S. & Sons. Pratt's Digest of National Banking Laws. Washington D.C.: A.S. Pratt &
Sons, National Bank Agents, 1901.
United States Government. United States Code, Title 12, Banks and Banking. Washington,
D.C: United States Government Printing Office, 1925, 1928, 1934.
Van Belkum, Louis. National Banks of the Note Is -suing Period 1863-1935. Chicago, IL: Hewitt
Brothers, 1968.
Warns, Melvin, Peter Huntoon, and Louis Van Belkum. The National Bank Notes Issues of
1929-1935, Second Edition. Society of Paper Money Collectors. Chicago, IL:
Printed by Hewitt Brothers, 1973.
MACERATED MONEY
Wanted information on U.S. Chopped up Money.
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E-mail: Marblebert@aol.com
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"The Art & Science of Numismatics"
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Small Currency 6 -5/8" x 2 -7/8" $23.50 $45.00 $200.00 $375.00
Post Card 6-5/16" x 4" $25.50 $48.50 $215.00 $400.00
Large Currency 7-7/8" x 3 - 1/2" $26.50 $49.50 $220.00 $410.00
Auction 9 x 3-3/4" $29.00 $53.00 $250.00 $450.00
Foreign Currency 8 x 5 $33.00 $60.00 $275.00 $485.00
Checks 9-5/8 x 4-1/4" $33.00 $60.00 $275.00 $485.00
SHEET HOLDERS
SIZE INCHES 10 50 100 250
Obsolete Sheet
End Open 8-3/4" x 14-1/2" $20.00 $88.00 $154.00 $358.00
National Sheet
Side Open 8-1/2" x 17-1/2" $21.00 $93.00 $165.00 $380.00
Stock Certificate
End Open 9-1/2" x 12-1/2" $19.00 $83.00 $150.00 $345.00
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End Open 18" x 24" $77.00 $345.00 $625.00 $1425.00
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assort sheet holders for best price (min. 10 pcs. one size).
SHIPPING IN THE U.S. (PARCEL POST) FREE OF CHARGE
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
359
I Collect
FLORIDA
Obsolete Currency
National Currency
State & Territorial Issues
Scrip
Bonds
Ron Benice
4452 Deer Trail Blvd.
Sarasota, FL 34238
941 927 8765 Benice@Prodigy.net
360 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
N HIS CLASSIC STUDY OF AMERICA'S SMALL CHANGE,
Neil Carothers chronicled how surprisingly difficult it was for 19th
century American authorities to establish a circulating medium—coin
or paper—that served the modest, yet pervasive, needs of everyday
commerce. The inconveniences and disruptions occasioned by the
Civil War-era Fractional Currency, vividly illustrated in the January 2006
pages of Paper Money, represent the high (or low!) point of this turbulent histo-
rY.
Yet the story of Fractional Currency does not end with its official retire-
ment in 1876. The continued need for some cheap and convenient method for
sending money by mail was only partly met by the short-lived Postal Note
(1883-1894). After the 1880s proposals regularly surfaced in Congress for new
emissions of Fractional Currency, either through the Treasury Department or
the Post Office. Of particular note was Charles W. Post's ingenious "post-
check" system, which commanded the attention of Fractional Currency advo-
cates between 1900 and 1905.
A Postscript
to the Postal Note:
Fractional Currency Schemes
After the 1890s
By Loren Gatti'
Collectors recognize six types
of Postal Notes:
Type I: Engraved and printed by the
Homer Lee Bank Note Company;
printed on yellow paper.
• Type II: Engraved and printed by the
Homer Lee Bank Note Company;
printed on creamy white paper; the
paying city is hand-written.
• Type II-A: Engraved and printed by
the Homer Lee Bank Note Company;
rubber-stamped or hand-written
ANY MONEY ORDER OFFICE"
appears on the paying office line.
Type III: Engraved and printed by
the Homer Lee Bank Note Company;
ANY MONEY ORDER OFFICE"
engraved in straight line.
Type IV: Engraved and printed by
the American Bank Note Company.
Type V: Printed by Dunlap & Clarke
of Philadelphia.
The Rise and Fall of the Postal Note
Fractional Currency may have been a nuisance to the public and a burden
for the Treasury, but for one purpose it proved superior: the sending of remit-
tances through the mail. Indeed, banks saw fit to hold balances of such notes
for that reason as a convenience for their customers. For unbanked popula-
tions, particularly in rural areas, money orders represented the only safe way to
send funds. Yet these were expensive, time-consuming to purchase, and only
available at designated post offices.
Thus, to make small payments people resorted to sending stamps (these
were not, in any event, redeemable at the post office and had to be used as
postage, or sold by the receiver at a discount) and even coins, which led to the
common problems of wet and spoiled stamps and even loose change escaping
envelopes.
The Post Office itself recognized the need for a better way, and in 1883
Congress obliged by creating the Postal Note. Patterned after the British
example, the Postal Note offered its purchasers -- for a three-cent fee the plus
face value -- a note in denominations ranging from one cent to $4.99. Payable
to bearer but only at the post office specified by the remitter, the specific
denomination of each note was created by punching the appropriate hole in
each of three columns designating the dollar amount, the ten cent increment,
and a final column for cents from one to nine.
014' `,7t Cr-
/88 'gr
For Less than Five Dollars Payable in the United Slates only
The Postmastepat
Will pay to Bearer within three months from the fast day".
of the month of issue,
Dodars
Cents
Pus Note is also payable at me of issue wit
POSTMASTER
ithin the same
1 penod If lost or destroyed o duplicate can be issued.
..(2,2,42-e?
Received the above amount 1."7
-fik4;
g
MINCH OUT THIS STAR
AILLISCI.7
I TIIIS N OTE
ELDRED, PA.
g
Ill)Sri t1.I.
101 `111-71
Far Less than Fee Dollars.
Payable in the Ilnited Stales only
or, rf
,
1Vic0 ; 4.1)11,w)(
day of the u nth of issue
WHS. PAY TO BliARF:12
the Inst
Received
lost ordestroved m I
the abov4 amount. "t°
issued
I SlitAda310=1
r ,
51.7.:111{.
tr4
Cents.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 361
Type I Postal Note payable at a spe-
cific post office.
In 1886, the House Committee on Post-Office and Post-Roads reported
approvingly on amending legislation to make these notes payable at any
money-order issuing post office, and to widen the issuers of notes to include
small-town post offices that did not then offer money-order services.
These same amendments were duly passed the following year, enhancing
the negotiability of Postal Notes, but also creating the problems that led to
their demise. Payable to bearer and cashable at many post offices, the Postal
Note gave for its three-cent fee no more security than an ordinary banknote.
Type II-A Postal Note payable at "any
money order office," rubber stamped.
Type IV Postal Note payable at "any
money order office," printed.
362 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
By 1891 Post-office inspectors foresaw the abandonment of the Postal
Note, and its replacement by a cheaper version of the money order.
Recognizing the need for something- better than the Postal Note, the nation's
postmasters at their 1892 convention called for a series of standard fractional
denomination notes, to be sold at face value, valid for only 60 days and can-
celled upon payment in U.S. funds.
Inexpensive, convenient, and free of paperwork, the Postal Note's curren-
cy-like attributes also brought with it some corresponding disadvantages. As a
bearer note, if offered no security if stolen. If lost, no duplicate could be
obtained, and if sent without any advice, wayward notes could not be easily
matched to the transactions they funded. As the Postmaster-General reported
to Congress in 1893, "this insecurity of the Postal Note gives rise to dissatisfac-
tion and complaint on the part of the public, and seriously diminishes its use-
fulness as a means of transmitting small sums by mail."
Prodded by the Dockery Commission's report on executive departments,
Congress abolished the Postal Note in January 1894, replacing its services with
a cheaper, three-cent money order for amounts up to 52.50. As the New York
Times wrote of the old notes that July, "[t]hey were, in short, a sort of
Fractional Currency. The Postal Notes were a source of trouble to the Post
Office officials. They were like so many 'shin plasters' lying around the office,
and frequently they disappeared. Clerks stole them out of the backs of their
books. It was necessary for the officials always to keep a close eye on the Postal
Notes."
Despite its brief life, the Postal Note continued to inspire schemes for a
Fractional Currency, both as a means of remittances and as an inflationary
expansion of the money supply.
Populist Proposals for Fractional Currency
As monetary reformers, the Farmers' Alliances of the 1880s and the
Peoples' (Populist) Party of the 1890s are remembered for their advocacy of
currency expansion against agricultural staples and the free coinage of silver.
Less well known was their support for Fractional Currency, which the Alliance
movement placed in its St. Louis platform in 1889. Between 1885 and 1895,
rural lawmakers offered 20 bills that sought either some kind of Postal
Currency or new emissions of Fractional Currency.
Most of these never received a hearing, though in the 50th Congress the
House Committee on Banking and Currency did report a bill favorably, on the
grounds that the current Postal Note system did not meet the needs of rural
remitters. Favorable petitions to that committee from rural organizations were
balanced by a hostile minority report that rued the expense to the Treasury of
issuing Fractional Currency. In addition, it was contended, millions of dollars
would be lost to the public as Fractional Currency wore out, fell apart, or went
missing.
In floor debate, Rep. Samuel Cox (Democrat, NY) inveighed against the
re-emergence of "the old, rotten, small-pox fractional paper currency."
Nonetheless, the bill passed the House, though it received no consideration
from the Senate. Four years later, in 1892, Rep.William A. McKeighan
(Populist, NE) proposed a bill to abolish the Postal Note, and replace it with a
Fractional Currency denominated in 5, 10, 25, 50, and 75-cent units. Unlike
the old Civil War era notes, these would not be legal tender, but redeemable in
"lawful money."
Debate on this bill brought out fears of the notes' security. As Rep.
Henry Bingham (Republican, NY) warned, "carry out the idea and you will
flood the country with a Fractional Currency, and by putting it into your mails
you will make the postal employes of the Government dishonest or tempt them
to be so." Senator James H. Kyle (Populist, ND) offered an identical plan,
except that the notes would be legal tender up to one dollar. As with the other
-vitg!tri
SAMPLE
to ustrale
me east S,s•
1cm. A, attsmo
wo ;Li• slip
rrr.77,i one, sub.
Its; me Or-CM:CO. 0
to me penalticsr.i6
( U.9 Stutusis
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• •
PAV.111 .1.• 70 TO.
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•■■■••
• 11.31.140.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 363
Fractional Currency bills over the previous decade, this one too never came to
a vote in the Senate.
C. W. Post's "Post Check" Plan
If Populist monetary nostrums could not produce a workable Fractional
Currency, the demand remained for some sort of remittance device for small
amounts that would be cheaper and more convenient than the money order.
At the turn of the 20th century, the personal check was not yet the ubiquitous
instrument it would later become; moreover, check clearings frequently
occurred at less than par, meaning that banks would charge depositors for the
service of collecting on out-of-town checks. Yet, with the advent of rural free
delivery and the new fashion for mail order purchases, the lack of a convenient
yet secure means of effecting small payments grew as a problem.
As one newspaper reported,
"in the great majority of cases, remittances are postponed or abandoned
altogether in the case of those who desire to make purchases by mail or send
subscriptions to publishers; and when remittance cannot be avoided, recourse
is had to private checks on inland banks, subjecting the receiver to an expense
of perhaps ten to fifteen cents for their collection; or to silver pieces placed in
holes cut out of cardboard; postage stamps, which are usually stuck fast to the
letter, and charms the recipient who has to soak them off an sell them at a
reduction."
In 1898, Charles W. Post, the cereal magnate of Battle Creek, Michigan,
began a campaign to reintroduce Fractional Currency to the nation's com-
merce. Better known as the producer of the Postum beverage, Post devoted
years to promoting his scheme for a fractional note that could function either
as currency or as a check. Patented by Post, he generously offered up his rights
to the plan if the government would only put it into effect.
C.W. Post's Post-Check Note
Issued in denominations from five cents to five dollars, Post's proposed
notes featured blank lines where a payer might fill in the name and address of a
payee. As long as these lines remained blank, the note circulated as currency.
But once filled in, signed by the payer and affixed with a two-cent stamp pur-
chased from the post office, the currency note would be converted into a check
suitable as a remittance—and immune to theft—through the mails. The payee
could then cash his check either at his post office or deposit it at his bank. In
either case, the cancelled post check would return to the U.S. Treasury for its
replacement (as if it were mutilated currency) by a fresh, blank note. Unlike
the hassle of money orders and even Postal Notes, with the "post-note",
according to its inventor, "[e]ach individual is his own clerk, and is required to
do no waiting, nor subject himself to any inconvenience in procuring a safe
form of transmissible money."
An enthusiastic reformer, Post saw nothing but advantage from his plan:
small remittances would be encouraged to the public's safety and convenience;
the expense of government accounting that plagued money orders would van-
ish; and with revenue generated by the sale of stamps the "post-check" notes
would pay for themselves. The post-check idea rapidly found favor with farm
C.W. Post
364 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
groups, who promoted a cheap remittance system along with other postal
reforms like rural free delivery and parcel post. Newspaper publishers liked it
as a more reliable way to pay for subscriptions, as did any business dependent
upon mail order traffic. Stoked by C.W. Post's publicity efforts, small-town
editorialists around the country echoed the inventor's call for the new circulat-
ing medium.
In 1900, bills introduced by Sen. James McMillan (Republican, MI) and
Rep. John J. Lentz (Democrat, OH) proposed to replace the existing circula-
tion of $1, $2 and $5 notes with such post-check notes, and to replace $50 mil-
lion in $10 notes with fractional post-check notes from five to fifty cents.
Notes above $1 would require a two-cent stamp; fractional notes would require
a one-cent stamp. Buoyed by the favorable attention given his plan, Post
reprinted the text of their bill, along with endorsements from business interests
and sample depictions of his currency, in a pamphlet for national distribution.
Post's ideas gained another ally in 1902, when Sen. McMillan joined with
Rep. Washington Gardner (Republican, MI) to introduce a bill providing for a
Postal Currency in $1, $2, and $5 denominations convertible into checks with
the affixing of a two-cent stamp, with an additional $75 million issue of
Fractional Currency. A 1903 Report of the House Committee on the Post-
Office and Post-Roads examined the McMillan-Gardner plan in some detail.
In addition to the Fractional Currency aspect, these versions of Post's
plan raised the stakes by proposing to replace a significant portion of the
nation's circulating currency (essentially, its small-denomination Silver
Certificates and Treasury Notes of 1890, the so-called Coin Notes) with new
notes enjoying a conversion privilege into checks.
A joint report on the proposal issued by a committee of Post Office and
Treasury officials in 1902 split on predictable lines. Post Office officials
favored the post-check as a convenience to small remitters, whereas Treasury
feared that the conversion of notes to checks would cause an uncontrollable
contraction of the currency. Within the Post Office, the Superintendent of the
Money Order System, whose business undoubtedly would have been dimin-
ished by the post-check, joined Treasury officials in opposition to the measure.
If sheer popularity foretold the success of an idea, then C.W. Post's post-
check ought to have become law. Postmasters-General regularly announced
their support for some sort of Postal Currency to replace the old Postal Note.
Prompted by the rural press, farmers wrote their congressmen in support of the
McMillan-Lentz and McMillan-Gardner bills.
For their part, business interests and other groups dependent upon small
remittances—publishers, mail-order houses, and fraternal organizations—
praised postal currency as an improvement over the sticky wads of stamps,
loose coins, and vulnerable bills they frequently received.
Indeed, Post Office Auditor Henry A. Castle, who signed a minority
opinion in the joint report of 1902 favoring the post-check, stressed his con-
cern over the theft of, and black market for, postage stamps, and saw no reason
why a post-check system could not be expanded to $10 and $20 denominations.
Grateful for such support, C.W. Post later hired Castle away from the
government to work on his post-check campaign. In addition, as noted in the
1903 House Report, "through the continual reissue of bills the small currency
of the country would be kept uniformly bright and clean." This was no mere
aesthetic concern. The growing awareness of germs in early 20th century
America prompted concern over the unhealthful qualities of money. As one
endorsement of the post check asked,
"what can be more unhygienic than old, worn, greasy paper money,
passing from hand to hand among all classes and conditions of men? Time
and again they have been examined and found literally to swarm with bacteria.
...Businessmen universally endorse [the post-check]. It now remains only for
rtTlter-
24066Aiiv)aimitift4
Deal with the
Leading Auction
Company in United
States Currency
Fr. 379a $1,000 1890 T.N.
Grand Watermelon
Sold for
$1,092,500
Fr. 183c $500 1863 L.T.
Sold for
$621,000
Fr. 328 $50 1880 S.C.
Sold for
$287,500
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 365
Currency Auctions
If you are buying notes...
You'll find a spectacular selection of rare and unusual currency offered for
sale in each and every auction presented by Lyn Knight Currency
Auctions. Our auctions are conducted throughout the year on a quarterly
basis and each auction is supported by a beautiful "grand format" catalog,
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800-243-5211
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States currency rarity. We can sell all of your notes! Colonial Currency...
Obsolete Currency... Fractional Currency... Encased Postage... Confederate
Currency... United States Large and Small Size Currency... National Bank
Notes... Error Notes... Military Payment Certificates (MPC)... as well as
Canadian Bank Notes and scarce Foreign Bank Notes. We offer:
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If your collection warrants, we will be happy to travel to your
location and review your notes.
800-243-5211
Mail notes to:
Lyn Knight Currency Auctions
P.O. Box 7364, Overland Park, KS 66207-0364
We strongly recommend that you send your material via USPS Registered Mail insured for its
full value. Prior to mailing material, please make a complete listing, including photocopies of
the note(s), for your records. We will acknowledge receipt of your material upon its arrival.
If you have a question about currency, call Lyn Knight.
He looks forward to assisting you.
CXnig-ht
Currency Auctions
800-243-5211- 913-338-3779 - Fax 913 -338 -4754
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Whether you're buying or selling, visit our website: www.lynknight.com
366 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
the medical profession and all who desire clean, healthful money to see its
many good, time-saving, money-saving and health and life-saving qualities..."
A second set of hearings in 1906 for yet a third version of this plan, spon-
sored by Gardner and Michigan's other senator, Julius Burrows, brought Post
Checks back before Congress. Although shorn of its Fractional Currency fea-
ture, this version also encountered bureaucratic objections. Loath to get
involved again with Fractional Currency, the Treasury Department also balked
at surrendering its control over the volume of currency for the mere conve-
nience of remitters. Moreover, it was contended, all the burden of reissue
would be borne by the Treasury, while stamp revenue would accrue to the Post
Office.
The press had little patience for such arguments. As for any burdens on
the Treasury, the Ohio Farmer sneered, "the clerks and employees now swing
their heavy pens and hammer their typewriters eight long hours every day, and
it would be outrageous to increase their burden, merely to add to the conve-
nience of all the people in sending money by mail." Indeed, the paper objected
to any retreat from the Fractional Currency feature of Post's original plan.
Nonetheless, the bureaucratic obstacles to such cooperation would have
been formidable. The Treasury Department resisted in particular the reissue
of Fractional Currency. Ellis H. Roberts, Treasurer of the United States and
chair of the 1902 joint committee that reported against the post-check, dis-
missed any "restoration of this mosquito money, with the addition of the offen-
sive device of rendering it payable to order, for remittance by mail."
Editorialists hinted at opposition to the post-check from the Post Office's
own Money Order Bureau, which would face the loss of much of its business.
C.W. Post, who could not understand why a good and popular idea would not
become law, also encountered resistance from private interests. Local retailers
did not relish the added competition from convenient mail orders. Express
companies, competitors of the Post Office which ran their own remittance
businesses, were natural enemies, while some bankers objected to the govern-
ment expanding its checking business at the expense of their own exchange
operations.
More nefarious, Post found out, were the activities of Thomas C. Platt,
the aging but redoubtable Senator from New York, who also happened to be
president of the United States Express Company. Convinced that Platt had
stymied his ideas in the Senate, Post sought to have Platt removed from office.
While unsuccessful, Post later received some vindication when a scandal broke
that Platt had actually paid contacts within the Post Office for information on
the 1902 joint Treasury-Post Office report.
While Post's "post-check" idea never became a reality, the promise of
some sort of post currency remained alive. In 1906 Postmaster General
Cortelyou pressed his own proposal for a Fractional Postal Currency in
denominations ranging from 10 to 90 cents, and then in 50-cent increments up
to $2.50. Notes would not be negotiable, and would become invalid three
months after issue. While customers would pay from one to two cents for
these denominations, a second set of notes ranging from one to nine cents,
used to make odd sums, would be sold at face value. In this way exact amounts
could be remitted without the inconveniences of coins or stamps.
After Cortelyou became Secretary of the Treasury, his successor Meyer
continued to promote the idea, now in the larger context of establishing a
postal savings bank. While the latter came to fruition by 1910, the Postal
Savings System functioned as a bank of deposit and not of issue, despite pro-
posals that its savings certificates serve as a medium of exchange, similar to
clearing house certificates, during financial emergencies.
Why, despite years of popular pressure, did Fractional Currency never
return to American purses and wallets? Resistance from the Treasury to repeat
C.W. Post and daughter Marjorie
ESTABLISHED 1880
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
367
On This Date in Paper Money History -- Sept. 2006
By Fred Reed ©
Sept. 1
1781, Continental Congress publishes Table of Currency Scale, Paper Money to Silver;
1903, U.S. ships first small size Philippine peso notes to Manila; 1975, Chile
exchanges 1,000 escudos for one new peso;
Sept. 2
1937, Princeton, KY Tobacco Festival issues wooden nickel flat; 1958, Act of Congress
amends Section 474, Title 18 U.S. Code to provide for limited printing and filming of
U.S. and foreign obligations and securities;
Sept. 3
1866, Treasury Department approves Laban Heath using certain "cuts" for his counter-
teit detectors; 1947, Chicago Coin Club members view film The Story of Money;
Sept. 4
1841, Third Bank of United States closes doors; 1952, Numismatic novelist Laurence
Dwight Smith dies; 1980, NASCA auctions Lyn Knight's obsoletes and ad notes;
Sept. 5
1835, Treasury Secretary John Carlisle born; 1927, Fed Chairman Paul A. Volcker
horn; 1986, Dire Straits "Money for Nothing" wins MTV Music Award;
Sept. 6
1777, U.S. Treasurer Michael Hillegas (FR 1167-1173) appointed; 1893, Plate Printers
Union of America unites 350 plate printers in D.C., Boston, NYC, Philadelphia;
Sept. 7
1945, Special Allied Military yen notes issued for Korea, 1850, San Francisco private
bank of Naglee & Sinton suspends operations in face of bank run;
Sept. 8
1664, Dutch Governor of New Netherlands Peter Stuyvesant, who appears on obso-
letes, surrenders New York to British; 1862, first clay of issue for Postage Currency at
New York City, 1865, First National Bank chartered in Oregon (FNB Portland #1553);
Sept. 9
1890, Comptroller of Currency orders overprinting of charter # in upper right corner
on Series 1882 Brown Back faces; 1864, College currency issuer Harvey Gridley
Eastman patents his school room design; 1953, last delivery Series 1950 $100 FRNs,
Sept. 10
1835, Encased stamp issuer Evansville, IN merchant Henry A. Cook horn; 1930,
Smithsonian Institution mounts "Liberty" exhibit; 1943, Abe Kosoff's Numismatic
Gallery sale of Michael F. Higgy Collection ushers in modern numismatic market;
Sept. 11
1850, European songstress Jenny Lind, who appears obsoletes, makes U.S. debut;
1911, keel laid down on USS New York (BB 34), shown on Battleship Note, large
size $2 FRBN; 2001, Stack's postpones auction sale due to tragic events of that clay;
Sept. 12
1818, Tombeckhe Bank at St. Stephens, Alabama Territory, opens; 2002, BEP resumes
public tours after one day observance of events of 9/11/01;
Sept. 13
1862, Treasury Secretary Chase OKs new sealing and trimming machines; 1982,
Currency Exchange Program computer program by Jacques P. Evans copyrighted;
2004, Princeton University Library names Alan Stahl Curator of Numismatics;
Sept. 14
1923, D.W. Valentine's Fractional Currency book in press; 2001, Robert Hoge
assumes duties as ANS Curator of American Coins & Currency;
Sept. 15
1837, City of Trenton, NJ issues scrip for 12 1/2-, 15-, 25-, and 50-cents; 1940, mob
crime drama Crooked Money (a.k.a. While Thousands Cheer) debuts;
Sept. 16
1861, British Post Office Savings Bank opens; 1861, New Orleans banks suspend pay-
ments; 1892, Alabama Governor Thomas H. Watts, who appears on state notes, dies;
Sept. 17
1868, Bureau of Engraving and Printing becomes official title for the currency produc-
tion bureau; 1960, Cuba nationalizes U.S. owned banks, 1970, U.S. Treasurer
Dorothy Andrews Elston marries Walter Kabis creating new currency signature;
Sept. 18
1737, Collector and artist Pierre Eugene du Simitiere horn; 1879, Philadelphia and
Reading Rail Road Co. issues "Wages Certificates";
Sept. 19
1881, James A. Garfield, who said "whoever controls the volume of money is absolute
master," dies; 1884, Neil Carothers, author of Fractional Money, born;
Sept. 20
1877, Chase National Bank opens in NYC; 1996, European Monetary Institute
receives Euro banknote competition designs;
Sept. 21
1832, Bank of Scotland currency subject poet Sir Walter Scott dies; 1867, Register of
Treasury Stoddard Colby dies; 1974, Virginia curency author Charles J. Affleck dies;
Sept. 22
1789, Office of Postmaster General is established within the Treasury Department;
1983, Regan-Ortega combined tenure begins; 2000, Currency Auctions of America
sells the Michael J. Sullivan Collection of bank histories;
Sept. 23
1852, Artist John Vanderlyn, whose painting Landing of Columbus appears on First
Charter $5 NBN backs, dies; 1956, United States Notes author Wayte Raymond dies,
Sept. 24
1755, Chief Justice John Marshall (FR 372-375) born; 1924, Inventor Elizabeth Magie
Phillips patents enhanced board game, forerunner of Monopoly;
Sept. 25
1981, Bob Medlar auctions Glen Smedley paper money collection; 2004, Oregon
group circulates "River Hours" scrip in Columbia River gorge area;
Sept. 26
1778, Continental Congress appoints Treasury seal design committee; 1820, Daniel
Boone, who appears IL and KY notes, dies; 1996, U.S. Department of Justice charges
Ponterio & Associates with bid-rigging at Christie's ABNCo archives auction;
Sept. 27
1840, Political cartoonist Thomas Nast, who created "Rag Baby" image for greenback
inflation, born; 1912, Asst. Treasury Secretary Sherman Allen presents collections of
CSA notes to public libraries;
Sept. 28
1919, Harold Lloyd-Bebe Daniels screen comedy Soft Money debuts; 2000, BEP
awards $25.4 million contract to De La Rue Giori to implement sheetfed perfecting
offset press technology;
Sept. 29
1547, Author Miguel de Cervantes, honored on a Spanish 100-peseta note, born;
1946, Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Anthony M. Santomero born;
2004, Canada releases its newlook $20 note;
Sept. 30
1913, End of Napier-Burke combined tenure as Register and Treasurer; 1970,
American Revolution Bicentennial Administration urges Bicentennial back for pro-
posed New Two; 2002, first Mexico polymer note;
368 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
the experiences of Civil War "shinplasters" must be part of the explanation.
Association of Fractional Currency with the monetary radicalism of the
Populists may have tarnished its reputation.
Finally, the establishment of the Federal Reserve System in 1913 may
have indirectly contributed to the dwindling of interest in Fractional Currency
to the extent that the new central bank imposed par collection practices on the
nation's banks. Once payees no longer faced the nuisance of collection charges
against out of town checks, the increased use of checks for small transactions
may have blunted popular demand for fractional paper notes.
Carothers notes a brief interest in fractional paper as a result of coin
shortages during World War I; the imposition of state-level sales taxes during
the 1930s produced yet another call for federal fractional notes. Ultimately,
though, the relentless grind of monetary inflation over the decades has worn
down the value of our mighty dollar; reducing it, in effect, to its own de facto
shinplaster.
Past President Ron Horstman steps down
after decades of service on SPMC board
HONORARY LIFE MEMBER AND LONGTIMESociety officer and board member Ron Horstman has
stepped down from active service on the Board of Governors
following two decades of contributions to the organization.
Ron, who will remain active as chair of the Society's
important Education Committee, elected not to
seek another term on the board in the recent
SPMC elections. His position was filled by for-
mer board member Wendell Wolka, President
Benny Bolin has announced.
Horstman (SPMC # 1526, LM #12) was
elected to the SPMC Board during the term of
President Larry Adams in 1987 serving continu-
ously until the present. During this period he
also served as President 2003-2005, New
Member Coordinator (1981-1995), Member
Recruitment Chairman (1987-1995),
Nominating Chairman (1989-1993). He has
twice been our top recruiter for the year.
Ron also has been active with his pen, receiving third
place Literary Awards in 1988 for "Demand Notes at St.
Louis" (issue #132), and 1989 for "The First Greenbacks of
the Civil War" (issue # 135). Most recently in 2004 he was
accorded our top literary prize for his excellent biography of
a remarkable Missouri banker, "The Life and Hard Times of
Ed Mays," published in our May/June 2003 issue of Paper
Money. In all Ron has contributed about two dozen feature
articles to this magazine, as well as his "President's Column"
during his term of office.
As many know, Ron is specialist in paper money of his
home "Show Me" state of Missouri. He has been working
on a book on Missouri notes of all types for several years
which promises to be a fine contribution to our currency lit-
erature when published.
In his current position as Chairman of the Education
Committee, Ron and fellow committee members are
charged with developing and administrating the Society's
grant program. In recent years in addition to our George
W. Wait Research Grant for book length projects, the
Society has annually awarded grants up to $500 for other
specialized research. Grants have funded projects by Peter
Huntoon, Neil Shafer, the Editor (see p. 395) and others.
A coin collector originally, Horstman was turned on to
paper money when he discovered a HAWAII note in circula-
tion. When he learned about hometown
nationals, his interest soared. Joining SPMC in
1965, Ron attended the 1970 ANA show in St.
Louis, where he met "Mr. Phil" William
Philpott and purchased two First Charter
Nationals from Amon Carter. Ron also credits
his friend John Hickman for supporting his
paper money interests, and assisting him in
growing his collection.
Ten years later at the Cincinnati ANA,
Ron spent some time with Tom Bain manning
the SPMC table at the show. The association
with the high strung Bain must have rubbed
Horstman positively because the next year Ron
became the Society's New Member Coordinator -- and the
rest, as they say, is history.
During his time on the board, Ron has been instrumen-
tal in assuring that our Life Membership fund has been
properly secured. During his administration as President,
the Society launched a far reaching overhaul of our awards
program for the first time in more than 30 years.
In 1986 when PCDA decided to host a fall paper money
show they asked Ron to be show chairman. Last year's event
was Ron's 20th at the helm of that successful venture. In
1988 he was made FILM of the PCDA for his efforts.
A municipal employee of the city of St. Louis for many
years, Ron was promoted up the ranks from Mechanic
(1956) to Foreman (1970) to Supervisor (1980) to Manager
(1985). He received a degree as Fleet Administrator in 1986.
"I plan on serving the Society in any way that I can
except as a board member," Horstman said recently. "I also
plan on attending to my crops and livestock on my ranch,
and living until 2045 when I will be 110, unless I decide to
live longer." -- Fred Reed --
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
369
On This Date in Paper Money History -- Oct. 2006
By Fred Reed ©
Oct. 1
1861, City of Pensacola issues municipal scrip for 25- and 50-cents; 1877, BEP takes
over printing of all U.S. currency; 1949, U.S. Treasury Agents go after counterteiters as
noir drama Trapped debuts;
Oct. 2
1982, Smithsonian Institution Numismatic Curator Vladimir Clain-Stefanelli dies;
1987, Disneyworld and EPCOT Center introduce scrip notes;
Oct. 3
1776, Continental Congress specifies interest bearing certificates be printed in colors;
1964, Warner Brothers circulates paper wampum for James Stewart western Cheyenne
Autumn;
Oct. 4
1761, St. Louis banker/colonizer Moses Austin born; 1927, Roy Young begins tenure
as Fed Chairman; 2003, New Iraqui banknotes unveiled in Baghdad press conference;
Oct. 5
1892, Dalton gang bank spree ends in Coffeyville, KS shootout; 1987, Paper Money, a
novel by Ken Follett, published by New American Library;
Oct. 6
1864, Lucius Chittenden forwards clipping of letter he wrote refuting charge that
Lincoln demanded his pay in specie or Gold Certificates while requiring soldiers to
accept greenbacks; 1950, BEP engraver Thomas R. Hipschen born;
Oct. 7
1640, Massachusetts General Court redefines legal tender value of blue and white
wampum beads, 1978, International Bond and Share Society holds first meeting;
Oct. 8
1818, John H. Reagan, who appears on some Confederate bonds, born; 1967, BEP
Director Henry Holtzclaw retires after 50 years total service;
Oct. 9
1781, "Swamp Fox" General Francis Marion, depicted on Confederate $100 note,
receives the thanks of the U.S. Congress; 1839, Bank of the United States suspends
specie payments; 2003, Federal Reserve releases nextGen colorful $20s;
Oct. 10
1778, General George Washington instructs General Horatio Gates to implement
death penalty in case of two Pennsylvania men convicted of passing counterfeit cur-
rency; 1867, John Jay Knox becomes deputy Comptroller of Currency;
Oct. 11
1819, Jacob Perkins receives English patent for anti-counterfeit Stereotype Steel Plate;
1901, Banknote engraver James Bannister dies;
Oct. 12
1837, Congress authorizes treasury notes requiring signatures of BOTH Register and
Treasurer for first time; 1988, Bank of England announces new, smaller 5-pound note;
Oct. 13
1648, Earliest known English check, 20-pounds, signed by Henry Snelgrave; 1862,
CSA Congress passes Act to fund $200 million in Confederate notes inot 8% bonds;
Oct. 14
1712, George Grenville, responsible for Stamp Act duties on American colonials,
horn; 2005, Traverse Area (Nil) Community Currency Corp. releases "Bay Bucks" scrip;
Oct. 15
1862, Corporation Ctiy of New York, NY issues municipal scrip; 2003, Iraquis com-
mence exchange of Saddam currency for new notes;
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Oct. 16
1834, workers burning all British wooden monetary tallies in furnace succeed in burn-
ing down Parliament also; 2004, Lyn Knight holds John Whitney Walter sale;
Oct. 17
1777, English general John Burgoyne surrenders to U.S. general Horatio Gates at
Saratoga, NY (FR 464-464a);1837, U.S. House of Representatives rejects proposal to
circulate non-interest bearing treasury notes by vote of 137-81;
Oct. 18
1859, dealer and Colonial and Continental Currency collector Henry Chapman born;
1862, Gold value of U.S. Demand Notes reaches high point of 99.1 cents on dollar;
Oct. 19
1752, Benjamin Franklin details his kite flying electricity experiment (FR 479-492) to
British scientific community; 1988, Michael Hill becomes BEP Deputy Director;
Catching attention = catching ca$$$Id
Readers will notice your logo on this page.
Oct. 20
1874, Bank of Sodus, NY issues banknotes for $1 and $2; 2002, Pioneer numismatic
publisher Chet Krause dismissed from firm he founded by new ownership;
Oct. 21
1944, Treasury Department lifts regulations on currency circulation in Hawaiian
Islands; 1988, Sherlock Holmes tracks counterfeiters in the film Without a Clue;
Oct. 22
1780, Early banknote engraver Peter Maverick born; 1975, SPMC receives first ship-
ment of ABNCo engraved membership cards;
Oct. 23
1795, France's circulation of fiat assignats peaks officially at 20 billion Byres; 1993,
Thomas Crawford's Columbia (FR 1-5) replaced atop U.S. Capitol after restoration;
Oct. 24
1808, Banknote vignette engraver John Sartain born; 1979, Oklahoma Obsolete Notes
and Scrip author Maurice Burgett dies;
Oct. 25
1861, Transcontinental telegraph makes possible transfer of bank funds across country
almost instantaneous; 1995, Ralph Marlin & Co. introduces "New $100 Bill" necktie;
Oct. 26
1831, Confederate currency collector John Wiley Aulick born; 1981, BEP begins sell-
ing uncut sheets of $1 FRNs;
Oct. 27
1856, Corresponding Committee of County of Herkimer, NY opposes candidacy of
Francis E. Spinner for Congress; 1856, U.S. currency designer Kenyon Cox born;
Oct. 28
1823, Encased stamp issuer William Weir born; 1884, Hugh McCulloch takes office as
Treasury Secretary for second time; 1927, SPMC member Lester A. Mauk horn;
Oct. 29
1815, Daniel Decatur Emmett, whose song "Dixie" is alleged tracing to the famous
Dix note, born; 1892, Tromp l'oeil currency artist William Michael Harnett dies;
Oct. 30
1820, Banker and collector Herman Ely horn; 1840, History of American Currency
author and social Darwinist William Graham Sumner born;
Oct. 31
1789, Thomas Jefferson pens Note on the Value of the Dollar in French Money; 1861,
94-year-old Commander of the U.S. Army General Winfield Scott (FR 212e) resigns;
i ) The ambiguity arises frotn'.a combination of misleading appearances: the fact that our
-President appoints (with cort.s,nif the Senate) the Chairman of the Fed to four-year ternig,
of the Unitai Stait-a EFTIEand the s,':. .eyen-member BQIiiiiit. rWashington to 14 year terms; the fact that the Fed N ekii0
posed , to promote governmental fiscal policy; and the fact diat the systeill was-orr_
up in law by Congress in 1913 and can be altered; nationalized or evan(ili--,
by Congress. ■ v-,---.-,oy6
...MostAmetkans understand that the Fed controls-our money system, but th—ey
believe it's part of our government, as would be expected of any organization hold-
ing that much power over the destiny of our country. Americans also erroneously
believe the banking business consists of accepting deposits from clients and then re-
loaning them to borrowers at a higher rate of interest. Though the number is defi-
nitely growing, most Americans have no idea that money (or more accurately interest
bearing hank credits -- purchasing media which serves as money) is created by the bank-
ing system when loans are made, through the fractional reserve provisions. This is understood by few
novices, and often economists and even bankers fail to comprehend that they function as part of a
money creation system, when they issue credits, and deposit them into their client's accounts when
loans are extended.
Therefore most Americans would be surprised to learn that almost all of what we use for
money is not issued by our government, but by private banks. They have been "allowed" to form
erroneous assumptions about our money and banking system that are far from reality and that serves
to shield [it] from closer scrutiny, whether the Fed is truly operating in the public interest or advanc-
ing more private agendas, either on purpose or by default.
370
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Is the Federal Reserve System
a Governmental or a Privately
Controlled Organization?
By Stephen Zarlenga
Director, AmericapMonetary Institute
TUDENTS OF OUR MONETARY SYSTEM QUICKLYS
encounter this important question, normally phrased as whether the,
Federal Reserve System is part of the U.S. GovernmefirOns kiiiiv-atj
organization. The importance people are placing on the answer is
indicated byftIte more than 36,000 hits the question raises on internet search
engines. /#'
4xamineamine evidence in the Federal Reserve legislation, in how the
Fed operates, from Congressional testimony, from statements from the
is LEGAL TENIEd is more accurately seen as a private, not a governmental institution,
PUBLIC AND
Federal Reserve's publications, in statements by formes of ambiguity, theChairmen of
s
financiers, not our government, and to the extent that there is ownership of
filown gh with substantial governmental ties.
House Banking Committee, and in official rulings by U.S.4burts, to show
why we conclude that although there are some element
Federal Reserve system is essentially dominated and controlled by private
it, it is entirely private. Therefore despite the ambiguity - an confusion - the
,,,
ThIF
The American Monetary Institute is a not-for profit public interest 501(c)(3) organization "dedicated to the inde-
pendent study of monetary history, theory, and reform," located in Valatie, NY. Interested parties may contact AMI
at aini@taconic.net . Paper Money welcomes counterpoint examinations of the issues Mr. Zarlenga raises.--Editor
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
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website: horwedelscurrency.com
371
372 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Organization And Ownership
The Federal Reserve consists of 12 regional Federal Reserve banks, with boards of Directors, under an
umbrella direction of the seven-member Federal Reserve Board in Washington, with the power to determine major
aspects of banking activity, such as setting interest rates, and the reserve and other operational requirements. There
are no shares of the Washington Fed Board organization; the only "ownership" of the Fed is in shares of each of the
12 regional banks which are entirely owned by the private member banks within their respective districts, according
to a formula based on their size. The ownership is highly restricted in that such ownership is mandatory; the shares
can't be sold; and they pay a guaranteed 6% annual dividend.
Thus the stories that the Federal Reserve is "owned" by foreign bankers (the Rothschild's and other promi-
nent banker names usually come up) are not accurate and these types of rumors have mainly served to discredit
wholesome criticism of the banking system. While it is true that our first central bank, the First Bank of the United
States, upon dissolution in 1811 was found to be three quarters owned by British and Dutch interests, that bank was
structured simply as a private share company on the Bank of England model.* The control of the Federal Reserve
System is more difficult to untangle and is not just a matter of counting shareholder votes. While foreign bankers
might indirectly own shares of the regional Federal Reserve Banks through ownership of American Banking compa-
nies, such ownership would be reported to the SEC if any entity held more than 5% of the American corporation.
This however does not exclude strong, potentially undue foreign influence, for example through the Bank for
International Settlements (BIS) as detailed below.
A "Non-Profit" Organization?
The Federal Reserve System puts itself forward as a non-profit organization that turns over its operating prof-
its to the U.S. Treasury, after all expenses, including the 6% dividend to member banks. However this misses the
point on several scores. First, the banking profits coming through the privileged money creation process mainly
occurs at the member bank level of operation, and those profits are not turned over to the Treasury. That is, the net
earnings from the member banks seigniorage privilege are not turned over to our government but kept by the pri-
vate member banks. For England this amount has been estimated at 41 Billion Pounds per year. For the U.S. we
think it's between $100-200 billion per year; but we need to know the amount more precisely from the Fed itself.
This money creation which is put into the system when the banks extend loans, eventually becomes a source
of funding when our government's bonds are sold to the public. Here is how Wright Patman, former House
Banking and Currency Committee Chairman for 16 years criticized that process:
"I have never yet had anyone who could, through the use of logic and reason, justify the
Federal Government borrowing the use of its own money. . . .I believe the time will come when
people will demand that this be changed. I believe the time will come in this country when they
will actually blame you and me and everyone else connected with the Congress for sitting idly by
and permitting such an idiotic system to continue."
We think the time has come.
Secondly, how extravagant are the FED's operating expenses? Reputedly quite high, but in order to determine
that for sure a proper audit would be necessary. Just where did the extensive real assets of the Fed come from if all
the earnings are turned over to the Treasury? (Fed capital as of June 28, 2006 was $29.462 billion) Perhaps some
part of it comes from member bank subscriptions to the regional Fed shares. Another question for the audit to
address. (If memory serves correctly, the Fed used to turn over 90% not all, of its earnings over to the Treasury; but
now its 100%.)
Control
Private ownership does not guarantee private control -- they can be two different things. Although ownership
of the fed is admittedly private in a restricted way, it is control which is the more important factor in regarding the
Fed as private, not governmental. Remember, the question is whether the control rests more in private or govern-
mental hands, not whether it rests directly in shareholders hands.
It will be clear from the following points that the Fed is definitely not part of the US Government:
* The Fed is not organized within the Executive, Legislative or Judicial branches of our government.
* Who pays the Fed's bills and determines its budget? Not any part of our government. The Fed gets its fund-
ing from its own specially privileged operations. The Fed Board determines Fed budgets.
* Who monitors and oversees Fed activities? Again the Fed itself. While some important elements of proper
auditing have taken place, there has not yet been a comprehensive independent audit, by the Government
Accountability Office as proposed in a recent letter from Ralph Nader to new Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, calling
for greater monetary transparency.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 373
* Federal Reserve Employees are not part of the U.S. Civil Service System and are not covered by government
employees' health insurance or pension programs. Who does the hiring and firing? Except for the highly publicized
Chairman and seven-member Washington Board, this is in private, unelected hands.
* Federal Reserve Banks are not listed as government organizations by the telephone companies, a small but
telling fact.
Here is how the Fed describes the Control situation, in the FAQs on its website:
"As the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve derives its authority from the U.S.
Congress. It is considered an independent central bank because its decisions do not have to be rati-
fied by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government; it does
not receive funding appropriated by Congress; and the terms of the members of the Board of
Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms. However, the Federal Reserve is
subject to oversight by Congress, which periodically reviews its activities and can alter its responsi-
bilities by statute. Also, the Federal Reserve must work within the framework of the overall objec-
tives of economic and financial policy established by the government. Therefore, the Federal
Reserve can be more accurately described as "independent within the government."
We'd suggest the phrase "independent within the government" is much too ambiguous and has the effect of
conveying great power while avoiding responsibility.
The Fed's FAQs continue regarding control:
"The Federal Reserve's ultimate accountability is to Congress, which at any time can amend
the Federal Reserve Act. Legislation requires that the Fed report annually on its activities to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and twice annually on its plans for monetary policy to
the banking committees of Congress. Fed officials also testify before Congress when requested.
"To ensure financial accountability, the financial statements of the Federal Reserve Banks
and the Board of Governors are audited annually by an independent outside auditor. In addition,
the General Accounting Office, as well as the Board's Office of Inspector General, can audit
Federal Reserve activities."
We agree with Mr. Nader that it is time for the General Accountability Office to carry out this full audit of
the Federal Reserve System. We take at face value the Fed's statement that the only way for our government to
exert necessary societal controls on the Fed is through legislation altering the Federal Reserve Act.
The Federal Reserve Act
Reading the Act with the question of control in mind, what one finds are primarily an enumeration and
description of vast powers over our monetary system being ceded to the non-governmental Federal Reserve.
Primary among these are the powers necessary to administer a fractional reserve banking system in which the cre-
ation of money -- what we use for purchasing media -- is in private hands.
• One is struck by the general absence of governmental controls over Fed activity, and lack of requirements
toward our elected representatives.
• One is struck by the lack of accountability of the Fed to our governmental officials or bodies.
• One is struck by the lack of any specified penalties should the system be found to not be promoting govern-
mental public policy at all.
• One is struck by the lack of formal oversight procedures to determine whether that is happening or not.
The Act requires the Chairman to appear before Congress and Congressional committees four times a year,
and requires the Board to submit two written reports to Congress annually. To understand that this is not sufficient
oversight, one need only read Congressman Bernie Sanders questioning of Chairman Greenspan, from the
Congressman's website (http://bernie.house.gov/) . When tough questions were put to the Chairman, as
Congressman Sanders did, forms of stalling non-answers came back until the announcement, "Your time is up Mr.
Congressman."
While the act specifies that the Comptroller of the Currency has the power to directly examine any member
bank in the system, he is not empowered to examine Federal Reserve Regional banks -- that is in the hands of the
Washington Board. Also, 14 year appointments — a one time event for them — places them outside the influence of
our elected officials, in other words outside the democratic process.
Probably this "independence" was sold as a good thing! From the time of Adam Smith, there has been a grow-
ing attack against government, as being incapable of managing the monetary system. Despite the evidence that gov-
374 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
eminent has a far better record controlling money than private bankers have*; despite the fact that government is
the only organizational form with ability to stand between the people and the "Enrons" of the world. It is time to
rethink this "independence" question and examine the actual evidence, rather than to continue relying on free mar-
ket ideology — really a form of elitist propaganda. It would be smarter to examine mankind's actual experience with
government-controlled money systems — especially in America. For what reason did the Federal Reserve Act envi-
sion that it would be saints serving on the Fed Board?
Some Conclusions from Court Cases
Several legal proceedings further illuminate the private aspects of the Fed. This case refers to several of those
cases.
(1) JOHN L. LEWIS, Plaintiff/Appellant, vs. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant/Appellee.
(No. 80-5905, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS, NINTH CIRCUIT
680 F.2d 1239; 1982 U.S. App. LEXIS 20002; March 2, 1982, Submitted; April 19, 1982, Decided)
[Lewis had been injured by a car owned by the San Francisco Fed and sued the U.S. Government for dam-
ages. Note that this ruling particularly applies to the regional Federal Reserve Banks, not necessarily the Federal
Reserve Board. Thus even more ambiguity!]
Excerpts from the ruling:
The district court dismissed, holding that the Federal Reserve Bank is not a federal agency within the mean-
ing of the Federal Reserve Act and that the court therefore lacked subject matter jurisdiction....
"Federal agency" is defined as: the executive departments, the military departments, independent establish-
ments of the United States, and corporations acting primarily as instrumentalities of the United States, but does not
include any contractors with the United States.
There are no sharp criteria for determining whether an entity is a federal agency within the meaning of the
Act (28 U.S.C. § 2671), but the critical factor is the existence of federal government control over the "detailed phys-
ical performance" and "day to day operation" of that entity. . . .0ther factors courts have considered include
whether the entity is an independent corporation..., whether the government is involved in the entity's finances....
and whether the mission of the entity furthers the policy of the United States. . . .Examining the organization and
function of the Federal Reserve Banks, and applying the relevant factors, we conclude that the Reserve Banks are not
federal instrumentalities for purposes of the FTCA, but are independent, privately owned and locally controlled colorations.
[emphasis added]
Each Federal Reserve Bank is a separate corporation owned by commercial banks in its region. The stock-
holding commercial banks elect two thirds of each Bank's nine-member board of directors. The remaining three
directors are appointed by the Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Reserve Board regulates the Reserve Banks, but
direct supervision and control of each Bank is exercised by its board of directors. 12 U.S.C. § 301. The directors
enact by-laws regulating the manner of conducting general Bank business, 12 U.S.C. § 341, and appoint officers to
implement and supervise daily Bank activities. These activities include collecting and clearing checks, making
advances to private and commercial entities, holding reserves for member banks, discounting the notes of member
banks, and buying and selling securities on the open market. See 12 U.S.C. §§ 341 [**5] 361....
It is evident from the legislative history of the Federal Reserve Act that Congress did not intend to give the
federal government direction over the daily operation of the Reserve Banks: It is proposed that the Government
shall retain sufficient power over the reserve banks to enable it to exercise a direct authority when necessary to do
so.... In other words, the reserve-bank plan retains to the Government power over the exercise of the broader bank-
ing functions, while it leaves to individuals and privately owned institutions the actual direction of routine...[Note:
neither the Act, nor this court explained how that is done] the Federal Reserve Banks, though heavily regulated, are
locally controlled by their member banks. Unlike typical federal agencies, each bank is empowered to hire and fire
employees at will. Bank employees do not participate in the Civil Service Retirement System. They are covered by
worker's compensation insurance, purchased by the Bank, rather than the Federal Employees Compensation Act.
Employees traveling on Bank business are not subject to federal travel regulations and do not receive government
[**7] employee discounts on lodging and services.
The Banks are listed neither as "wholly owned" government corporations under 31 U.S.C. § 846 nor as
"mixed ownership" corporations under 31 U.S.C. § 856, ... a factor considered in Pearl v. United States, 230 F.2d
243 (10th Cir. 1956), which held that the Civil Air Patrol is not a federal agency under the Act. ... Additionally,
Reserve Banks, as privately owned entities, receive no appropriated funds from Congress. ...The Reserve Banks
have properly been held to be federal instrumentalities for some purposes....The Reserve Banks are deemed to
[**10] be federal instrumentalities for purposes of immunity from state taxation.... The Reserve Banks, which fur-
ther the nation's fiscal policy, clearly perform an important governmental function....Performance of an important
375
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *** ****** *
NUMISMANIA RARE COINS
P.O. BOX 847 -- Flemington, NJ 08822
* Office: (908) 782-1635 Fax: (908) 782-6235 *
Jess Lipka, Proprietor
Aie
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/ 10S#11
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Regional Collections, Red Seals, Brown Backs,
Statistical Rarities, New Jersey.
Also Buying Coin Collections and Type
NO DEAL TOO LARGE!** * ******************** *
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ry/
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PAYS MORE
TROPHY NATIONALS
376 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
governmental function, however, [**11] is but a single factor and not determinative in tort claims actions.... Brink's
Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 466 F. Supp. 116 (D.D.C.1979), held that a Federal Reserve
Bank is a federal [**12] instrumentality for purposes of the Service Contract Act, 41 U.S.C. § 351.... For these rea-
sons we hold that the Reserve Banks are not federal agencies for purposes of the Federal Tort Claims Act and we affirm the
judgment of the district court. [emphasis added, end of excerpts]
Is the Fed Operating in the Public Interest and Promoting Governmental Policy?
Short answer: No.
Some Details:
Macroeconomic policy goals are generally agreed to include: full employment, stable prices, satisfactory bal-
ance of payments; and sustainable economic growth.
(A) The Full Employment Laws
Last April at a Levi Institute April conference (Bard College), Fed Governor Donald L. Kohn gave his luncheon talk, and
nobody had a question for him (economists seem afraid of Fed officials) so I stood up and asked "Whatever happened to the
Fed's full employment directive?" (Well that got a rise out of Jamie Galbraith, who was sitting at the next table!) Gov. Kohn's
answer (paraphrasing-) was "Yes we consider that, but we also consider price stability."
Price stability is the economists' mantra for tight money policies, that put a special strain on the barely employed. The
important employment question especially indicates how the Fed does not implement Governmental policy. Two laws were
passed by Congress on this and both are being effectively ignored by the Fed:
The 1946 Employment Act directed policy makers to pursue policies promoting full employment. This apparently was not
enough. The Humphrey-Hawkins Act had to be passed in 1978 requiring monetary policymakers to pursue full employment and
non-inflationary economic growth.
And what has been the result? Games are played with the unemployment statistics. Unemployment is grossly underesti-
mated by ignoring those whose unemployment benefits have run out; by not counting those who have given up looking, or who
have accepted jobs requiring only a small part of their qualifications at low wages, or who have accepted part-time work in des-
peration. The Fed has done little or nothing to gain and publicize an accurate estimate of unemployment in America.
A case could probably be made that the Fed Board is flaunting the Humphrey-Hawkins Law.
There have been unsuccessful attempts through former Senator Connie Mack of Florida and Congressman Jim Saxton of
New Jersey to promote legislation which would render the employment question moot, by making "price stability" the Fed's pri-
ority. That the "full employment" language is considered an annoyance is indicative of the Fed's political bias against middle-
class Americans.
Several additional societal/governmental problems with direct connection to monetary policy follow below. Taken indi-
vidually, they might leave room for question, or even be characterized as "anecdotal," former Fed Chariman Greenspan's
favorite description for inconvenient facts; but when seen in their entirety they demonstrate to reasonable minds that the Fed has
not been operating in the public interest, except incidentally. The Fed has been promoting, or at least supporting plutocracy —
the rule by wealth. (The connection between the Fed's monetary policy, and government's funding abilities should be fairly
clear, but just in case, we are writing a longer explanation that does connect those dots.)
When a long string of events and factors evinces a particular design or motivation behind them, we should draw the prop-
er inference, just as the American Declaration of Independence did. In the Fed's case we infer that a form of class warfare has
been an inextricable part of its make up from its beginning. It's not really hidden now. Billionaire speculator Warren Buffet
recently remarked "If there is a class war, my class has won." Buffet was being facetious. He would not characterize the destruc-
tion of the most vulnerable among us and their children, as "winning." He would probably join with me in calling it cannibalism,
and predicting that indigestion is sure to follow.
This warfare is not all the Fed's fault. A large part of the warfare is inherent in the present day make up, definitions and
assumptions of economics itself. But the single most decisive factor in that wealth concentrating "victory" has been the privately
controlled monetary system.
(B) The appalling condition of America's crucial infrastructure
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives our infrastructure an overall "D" rating, and predicts it will fall to "D-"
soon. They tell us it will cost $1.6 trillion to bring it up to safe levels. The education sector already receives a failing "F" grade!
This represents an unanswerable indictment of the present monetary system as either unwilling or unable to handle these crucial
pillars of our society.
(C) The growing concentration of wealth
Less than 1% of the population is claiming ownership to almost 50% of the wealth. This spells disaster for our democracy
unless quickly corrected. Private control of the money system is the most powerful engine continuing this destructive concentra-
tion process. It has become the primary tool of class warfare. I've only heard from one Fed official, the President of one of the
regional Federal Reserve banks, who seemed to care; but in a private conversation. Yet hearing that from her was the one human
signal I've encountered from the Fed in all the years I've watched it.
(D) The previous Chairman, media darling Alan Greenspan Promoted Warfare and Bad Tax Cuts
Greenspan promoted the dual disasters of de-funding government through tax cuts to the super-rich, and paving the road
to war in Iraq. Who can defend these "errors?" In effect they became "Fed policy" for our country.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 377
(E) Health care and education
Some Figures say 45 million of us are without health insurance. Other estimates place it much higher. Then there are all
those who think they are insured, but will find out otherwise when a health problem does strike. Regarding education, just the
physical plant is graded F (failing) by our engineers. Is that American public policy? Or is it a financial system gone amuk?
(F) The Real Estate Bubble
This is a double negative for the Fed. Counter to their professed price stability goal, they created massive inflation in
housing costs, since about 70% of all Fed money creation goes into real estate loans. Then they look at soaring house prices and
say "Aren't we wise — the collateral we loaned on is worth much more than we allowed" — instead of saying "look at what our
loans are doing to the real estate market — putting it further out of reach for too many."
(G) Stock market bubbles
Past pandering of Greenspan's Fed to the Financial sectors led to stock market bubbles, still being unwound. Exclamations
of "irrational exuberance" was just talk, when he had the power to act on margin requirements, for example, but did nothing.
(H) Attempts to Remove the Estate Tax on the Super Wealthy
Predictably, we heard nothing from Fed officials on why this would be one of the worst fiscal acts to take against America.
(I) Worker Earnings Dropping since 1973
Since when is it U.S. public policy to pressurize workers incomes? In effect the Fed has placed the working sector into a
form of deflation, while at the same time running a grand inflation in property values.
(J) Child mortality
Believe it or not, the U.S. ties for the worst ranking among all "developed" nations, by recent U.N. Figures.
(K) And We Haven't Looked at New Orleans Yet
Instead of our government being able to spend the $12 billion to repair levees and protect a key port city, we're going to
spend at least $400 billion to repair the damage. This too should be laid at the Fed's doorstep, including the thousands of unnec-
essary deaths of our people. The Fed facilitated that well publicized idiot who wants to make our government small enough so
that he can drown it in a bathtub.
(L) Nuclear Weapons face off
We continue to be in an ever more dangerous face off with the Russians involving potentially thousands of nuclear deto-
nations on our land. Just a few of these would end our civilization. When one examines the control of the monetary system, it's
not just about money. It is about the mis-direction of humanity. Money plays such a large role in that process that this nuclear
stalemate too must be laid in part at the Fed's door. Not entirely, because the Soviet Union had a hand in it too.
(M) The Balance of Payments Fiasco
Shipping American jobs overseas has led to an imbalance of payments that has benefited financiers, but devastated working
people. Where has the Fed ever issued a warning about this process?
(N) And Now the Inflation
These misdirected monetary policies are Finally taking a toll on inflation. The CRB Price Index (now at about 350) has
been approaching its all time highs of 380 reached in 1974, a year of political impeachment combined with wartime inflation,
surging metals prices and an agricultural drought. But with much of the work force experiencing deflation in their earnings, it is
a nightmare that they are now facing real inflation in their daily expenditures, for example for fuel.
The Effect of Ambiguity
Ambiguity of control has resulted in the monetary power being misused. It has allowed great power to be
wielded without responsibility. No amount of false PR will change that.
Conclusions and Solution
The money power vested in Congress by the Constitution has been improperly delegated to private interests
without sufficient public interest benefit, if any. Congress must resume the power vested in it. Had such delegation
of power been shown to work in the public interest, one could consider maintaining or adjusting the present system.
But look what it has done. This calls for a major shifting of how our money system operates and is controlled.
Anything less, with minor benefits that merely alleviate the problems temporarily, will allow the destructive process
to eventually resume.
The ambiguity must cease. The American Monetary Institute has been working on comprehensive legislation
called The American Monetary Act, to remedy this problem at its root, summarized in our brief statement, "The
Need for Monetary Reform" and presented in full at our web site http://www.monetary.org
This Act puts into legal terminology the reform proposal put forward in Chapter 24 of The Lost Science of
Money. Chapters 1 thru 23 give the historical background and case studies on which the reforms are based. We
realize that this Act has its best chance of passage under emergency conditions. The idea is to have it ready and to
inform enough citizens and lawmakers around the country about it.
At the same time, it is necessary to begin action now and there is a "small step" called the Monetary
Transparency Act, which also may be viewed on our web site. It starts the process of making the Fed more account-
able to the Congress, by requiring the compilation of certain statistics which are otherwise difficult to get. These
are numbers which almost automatically point the way toward better public policy decisions.
* Starred items are considered in greater detail in the author's The Lost Science of Money.
The
President's
Column
Wow
ONE WORD SEEMS ALL TOO INADEQUATE TOdescribe the recent 30th IPMS in Memphis, but I think
"WOW" describes it. I think this was one of the best, if not the
best, Memphis in years or maybe ever: from the time you walked
into the hall and saw the usual large gathering of dealers and their
varied wares, to the six rows of exhibits and finally "WOW"—the
magnificent "Memphis Memories" display by Lyn Knight. That
was truly a sight! Memphisites everywhere should thank Lyn fat
such a great job. It was nice seeing 30 years of history in such a
large format. At the show, the hobby showed it was still sizzling!
There was something for everyone, no matter collecting interest.
The SPMC would like to thank everyone who worked hard on the
show! The newly quasi-revised Tom Bain Raffle and SPMC
breakfast on Friday was a great success. We tried two new things,
having some higher end raffle prizes and awarding the service
awards at the breakfast. Both seemed to be hits and we will try to
continue them and next year make it even better! At the SPMC
general meeting on Saturday, Don Kagin gave a great presenta-
tion on the War of 1812 notes—Thanks Don! Your board of
governors met Saturday morning and we have a lot of work ahead
of us. One of main initiatives upcoming will be deciding how to
use the Forrest Daniel endowment we were given. Mark
Anderson is heading a committee to give recommendations at our
St. Louis meeting, so if you have ideas, let him know—we want
your input! We also will be having a new committee established
soon to work with Fred Reed to provide you, our members with
more real time information and to give multiple contact points for
Paper Money. It is hard to improve on perfection, but we will
always strive to do so. We are also looking at revising our web-
site. We hope to eventually make this our primary communica-
tion tool with the membership, but we know that is years off.
Finally, our thanks to Ron Horstman for 20+ years of service. Tie
decided not to run for re-election to the board. Ron has served
the Society tirelessly and we thank him. In his place I have
appointed Wendell Wolka to fill the term left open in the elec-
tion. Until next time—good hunting and good collecting. Please
contact me with ideas for how to make YOUR Society better and
one that will meet your needs more.
Death claims author Walter Rosene
Walter (VVALT) Rosene, Jr., of Gadsden, AL, passedaway on Dec. 30th, 2005, according to Bob
Cochran. "Walt and I are both graduates of Auburn
University in Alabama, and I read about it in our alumni
magazine," Cochran said.
Mr. Rosene, who authored the Society's Wismer
series book Alabama Obsolete Notes and Scrip, was born May
15th 1920. He was a research biologist for the U.S.
Department of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service for 25
years. He wrote three books and numerous scientific arti-
cles on wildlife management.
Cochran remembered Rosene as "a very nice, conge-
nial man."
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
monGy mart
Paper Money will accept classified advertising on a basis of 15(r per word
(minimum charge of $3.75). Commercial word ads are now allowed. Word
count: Name and address count as five words. All other words and abbrevia-
tions, figure combinations and initials count as separate words. No checking
copies. 10% discount for four or more insertions of the same copy. Authors
are also offered a free three-line classified ad in recognition of their contribu-
tion to the Society. These ads are denoted by (A) and are run on a space
available basis.
Special: Three line ad for six issues = only $20.50!
INTERNATIONAL ENGRAVER'S LINE, World engravers & their work, 392
pages, 700 ill., most in color, $74 incl. post. Premium ed. with signed notes
$140. Gene Hessler, PO Box 31144, Cincinnati., OH 45231 or
engraversline@aol.com (246)
BOOKS ON U.S. & FOREIGN PAPER MONEY, Securities, Obsoletes, Bank
Histories, Nationals, Small/Large Notes, etc. Lists available. Sanford Durst,
106 Woodcleft Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520 Fax 516-867-3397 e-mail:
sjclbooks@verizon.net
(246)
BOOKS: OFFERING WISMER'S Obsolete NY $20; Pennsylvania $12, Ohio
$12, Pennell's N.C. $10, Bowen's Michigan Notes/Scrip (HC) $45,
Slabaugh's Confederate States Paper Money (updated Doug Ball) $12 and
many others.Write!! Add $3.00 postage/book. Sanford Durst, 106 Woodcleft
Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520 (246)
MEXICO BANKNOTES WANTED. Prior to 1915 with IMPRINTED or
AFFIXED revenue stamp on reverse. Bob Bergstrom, 1711 Driving Park Road,
Wheaton, IL 60187 USA bobanne@sbcglobal.net (244)
COLLECTOR NEEDS Annual Report of the Comptroller of the Currency 1863
thru 1935. Ron Horstman, 5010 Timber Lane, Gerald, MO 63037 (A)
WASHINGTON STATE NATIONALS WANTED. Seeking large-size WA
nationals from Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and Montesano. Chris Flaat,
cflaat@msn.com ,
425-706-6022 (244)
KANSAS NBNs WANTED . Goodland #14163, Olathe #3720, Pleasanton
#8803. A.R. Sundell, Box 1192, Olathe, KS 66051 (246)
COLLECTOR BUYING AND SELLING published U.S. National Bank
Histories and other publications! Offer what you have; send your "Want
List." Bob Cochran, PO Box 1085, Florissant, MO 63031 (PROUD SPM-
CLM69) (253)
LINCOLN PORTRAIT ITEMS. Collector desires hank notes, scrip, checks,
CDVs, engraved/lithographed ephemera, etc. with images of Abraham
Lincoln for book on same. Contact Fred Reed at P.O. Box 118162,
Carrollton, TX 75051-8162 orfreed3@airmail.net (245)
WANTED. Canadian Chartered Bank Notes. Wendell Wolka, PO Box 1211,
Greenwood, Indiana 46142 (246)
WANTED. OBSOLETES AND NATIONALS from New London County CT
banks (Colchester, Jewett City, Mystic, New London, Norwich, Pawcatuck,
Stonington). Also 1732 notes by New London Society United for Trade and
Commerce and FNB of Tahoka Nationals #8597. David Hinkle, 215 Parkway
North, Waterford, CT 06385. (248)
SHOW ME THE MONEY! Standard Catalog of Motion Picture Prop Money
(2005) by Fred Reed, 800 pages, $82.50 postpaid & you get FREE Prop note.
P.O.B. 118162, Carrollton, TX 75011-8162 (245)
DC AND NY BANK HISTORIES WANTED. Collector seeks published works
for research. Alan Palm, 301 G St. SW-Apt. 201, Washington, DC 20024;
(202) 554-8976; e-mail aspalm2003@yahoo.com (244)
AUTHORS RECEIVE FREE CLASSIFIED AD. Write now
(PM)
378
Benny
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 379
NEW
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Frank Clark
P.O. Box 117060
Carrollton, TX 75011
SPMC NEW MEMBERS - 05/17/2006
12068 Michael S. Tallent (C), Website
12069 Bradley J. Paino, 10847 Almond St, Adelanto, CA
92302 (C, Nationals and Large Size Silvers), Wendell
Wolka
12070 Al Mattia, 445 Shelbourne Lane, Phoenixville, PA
19460-5721 (C, Currency), Coin World
12071 Dan Beckham, 116 Faulkner Cir #73, St Robert, MO
65584 (C, Currency), Coin World
12072 Remi A. Bazinet, Box 543, 105 Queen St, S Chapleau,
ONT POM-1KO, Canada (C, World), Frank Clark
12073 Eugene Rowe (C), Website
12074 Chris Sutter (C), Bob Cochran
12075 Christine Karstedt, PO Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH
03894 (C & D), American Numismatic Rarities
12076 Melissa Karstedt, PO Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH
03894 (C & D), Q. David Bowers
12077 John Kraljevich (C), American Numismatic Rarities
12 078 Andrew Bowers, PO Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH
03894 (C & D), American Numismatic Rarities
12079 John Pack, PO Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH 03894 (C
& D), Q. American Numismatic Rarities
12080 Frank Van Valen, PO Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH
03894 (C & D), American Numismatic Rarities
12081 Andrew Metropolis (C), American Numismatic
Rarities
12082 Gordon Whitwell (C), Rob Kravitz
12083 Rod Charlton II (C), Website
12084 Robert Wilson (C), Website
12085 Mike Allred (C), Allen Mincho
12086 Steve Engle, 2254 Foothills Drive South, Golden, CO
80401 (C, US Large), Torn Denly
12087 Anthony Bongiovanni (C & D)
12088 Greg Shane, PO Box 10, Granite Springs, NY 10527
(C, Colonials, CSA, FRNs), Website
12089 Todd Hewitt, 312 W. Chapelwood Dr, Brandon, SD
57005 (C & D, US Small), Tom Denly
12090 Paul Griffin, 9442 Timber Valley Dr, Indianapolis, IN
46250 (C, US and British Commonwealth), Tom Denly
12091 Daniel J. McKenna, (C), Allen Mincho
12092 Jeffrey M. Feuerman, 3 Craftsland RD, Chestnut Hill,
MA 02467-2678 (C), Website
12093 Man A. Stoler (C), Fred Reed
12094 Guiseppi Fusco (C & D), Tom Denly
12095 Robert E. Lippert (C), Robert Schreiner
12096 Allen Karn, c/o Allen's Coin Shop, 399 S. State
St,Westerville, OH 43081-2600, Bob Cochran
REINSTATEMENTS
9547 Ronald Hedglin (C), Bob Schreiner
10334 Brian Fanton (C), Frank Clark
11051 Ahmad A. Alomari (C & D), Frank Clark
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
LM372 Peter Treglia converted from 10815
LM373 George Edelstein converted from 10337
SPMC NEW MEMBERS - 06/01/2006
12097 Peter Jones (C), Frank Clark
12098 Richard T. Erb (C), Paper Money Values
12099 Joe Petrini, 36 East Gate Ln, Hamden, CT 06514 (C,
Obsoletes), Website
12100 Mark Hagen, PO Box 400, Cromwell, IN 46732 (C,
US Large, Obsoletes & Colonial), Website
12101 Jason Cobb (C), Website
12102 Judith Walker (C), Frank Clark
12103 Calvin Burress (C), Ron Horstman
12104 Jennifer Burns, 3315 N. 2nd St, Harrisburg, PA 17110
(C), Website
12105 Gerald E. Vallee (C), jack Levi
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
LM374 Diane P. Rapanotti, 11703 Huebner Rd Suite #106-
247, San Antionio, TX 78230-1205 (C & D,
Revolutionary Mexico & World), Website
SPMC NEW MEMBERS - 07/08/2006
12106 Imtiaz A. Khokhar, MD, 729 Montauk Highway,
West Islip, NY 11795 (C), Website
12107 Peter D. Adams (C), Frank Clark
12108 William Golden (C), Website
12109 Ken Kooistra, 250 Laureen Rd, Schwenksville, PA
19473-2220 (C, US Large), Website
12110 Carey Werneth (C), Tom Denly
12111 William H. Stein (C), Website
12112 Edward A. Dauer(C), Robert Schreiner
12113 Kathleen Kimball (C), Peter Huntoon
12114 Steven Boerger (C), Dennis Schafluetzel
12115 John C. Ramsey, PO Box 956, Gardiner, ME 04345
(C, Fractional & Maine Nationals), Benny Bolin
12116 John Nagel (C),
12117 Greg Davis, 431 N. Fulton Ave, Mount Vernon, NY
10552 (C & D), Greg Culpepper
12118 Tom DiBenedetto, 11341-2 Dollar Lake Dr, Port
Richey, FL 34668 (C), Rob Kravitz
12119 David LoDato (C), Tom Denly
12120 Lawrence Schuffman, PO Box 19, Mount Freedom,
NJ 07970 (C), Website
12121 Chris Percoulis (C), Website
12122 James Coulter, 22904 Allen Court, Saint Clair Shores,
MI 48080 (C, US), Website
12123 Mark L. Miller Tom Denly
12124 Dennis Mikus (C), BNR
12125 Lawrence Struble (C), Robert Moon
12126 Harry C. Backas, PO Box 4120, Breckenridge, CO
80424
(C & D, US Type), Torn Denly
12127 John H. Ross, 8710 N. Island Dr, Stanwood, MI
49346 (C, Michigan Obsoletes, US Large & Fractional),
Torn Denly
12128 Ronald S. Goyack (C), Tom Denly
12129 Allan L. Shafer, W2604 Bakertown Rd, Helenville,
WI 53137 (C, Confederate, Obsoletes), BNR
12130 Robert Sebastian, 151 71st Way NE, Fridley, MN
55432 (C), BNR
12131 Lloyd Fields (C & D), Rob Kravitz
380 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
Increased member participation, services goals
SPMC Memphis 2006 Board Meeting
Memphis, TN
Meeting date June 17, 2006
Present: Mark Anderson, Benny Bolin, Frank Clark, Bob Cochran,
Rob Kravitz, Gene Hessler. Ron Horstman, Tom Minerley, Bob Moon,
Judith Murphy, Fred Reed, Bob Schreiner; Appointed non-Board
member: Wendell Wolka; Not present: Wes Duran, Jamie Yakes;
Guest: Kirk Nelson
Call to order and Determination of Quorum: Bolin
The meeting was presided over by President Benny Bolin and began
at 7:45am.
Minutes of Last Meeting: Bolin
The minutes from the November 18, 2005 St. Louis meeting were
approved with the following correction: The vote for use of internal
color in Paper Money was not unanimous.
Election: There is no contest to the election this year. Benny Bolin,
Mark Anderson, Ron Horstman and Judith Murphy and are up for re-
election. Ron Horstman announced at this meeting that he will not
seek re-election. The Secretary cast one vote for the remaining two
people. The President will make an appointment for the unfilled
position (secretary's note: President Bolin subsequently appointed
Wendell Wolka to the Board).
Secretary's Report: Schreiner reported that SPMC has about 1550
members. He credited Bob Cochran for providing a third follow up
with lapsed members to increase the retention for 2006.
Treasurer's Report: Moon reported that this will be a break-even
year in terms of net worth. The treasurer has been bonded (a "com-
mercial crime policy") as of Oct 6, 2005. The amount is $250,000.
The premium is $120/year.
SPMC can now accept credit card charges for memberships and
advertising. We are not yet able to accept PayPal or other web trans-
actions, but these are being planned.
The routine audit (Duran and Anderson are the committee) will be
done in November 2006. We should plan to do it annually, after the
close of the fiscal year, and not at the Memphis meeting.
Membership Report: Clark reported a gain of 214 new members.
Thanks to Mark Anderson, R.M. Smythe will add our membership
application to their catalogs. An application will also be put in their
lot bills. Lyn Knight and Heritage already place an application in
their catalogs. We need to seek the same accommodation from ANR,
Stack's and EAHA. We also need to ask Whitman about an applica-
tion in their "red book of paper money."
Editor/Publisher Report: Reed reported that manuscripts are at
an all-time high in quality and profusion. Recent submissions
include several from tenured university professors, and one expected
from an economist at the Federal Reserve. There have been some
printing delays associated with adoption of new equipment by the
printer and the editor. In addition, the mailing service that the print-
er uses has slowed down operations, a situation which needs to be
remedied. Our special Fractional Currency (J/F 2006) and National
Currency (M/J 2006) issues were well received. Upcoming specials
are small size U.S. (S/O 2006), obsolete currency (M/A 2007) and
National Bank Notes (M/J 2007). Reed thanked contributors to the
Forrest W. Daniel tribute in the July/August issue, especially Tom
Minerley, Gene Hessler, Mark Anderson and Bob Cochran. Forrest
Daniel's Early Federal Paper Money manuscript remains problemat-
ic. Daniel reported that the manuscript was lost by a person it was
loaned to. He said he would retrieve a copy he thought he had in
storage. This was not accomplished before his death. Reed further
reported that conversion to color interior printing has gone well. Paid
color ads in the issues have been: March/April (5 pages); May/June (4
pages); July/August (4.5 pages). Reed recommends that we continue
with one interior color signature for the present, until it be deemed
advantageous to change. Around Memorial Day, Wendell Wolka and
Reed sent a special ad solicitation to 150 dealers who either belong to
PCDA, have display ads in BNR, or are otherwise identified as paper
money or scripophily dealers, or providers of services, but don't
presently advertise in Paper Money. They will report on success of
this venture at a future time.
Reed received a solicitation from Whitman Publishing offering SPMC
a full page color ad in Dave Bowers' forthcoming book on obsolete cur-
rency. The cost seemed prohibitive. However, Reed thought such an
ad would be a positive thing, and that is raised the issue that a trade
out might be advantageous. He recommended that the Board empow-
er the Publisher to consider such trade outs in the future (for exam-
ple, trade Whitman ad space in Paper Money for an SPMC ad in the
upcoming Bowers book). Further discussion was referred to the new
Publications committee.
Regional Meetings Report: Murphy/Wolka reported there was lit-
tle activity at the Atlanta ANA; the location was bad. SPMC will be
at the Denver ANA. Wolka will investigate table covers for the
SPMC table.
Forrest Daniel Endowment: Bolin reported that Mr. Daniel left
$10,000 to SPMC in his will, to be used as needed. A committee of
Anderson, Duran, and Moon will propose uses for the funds. The
President will use his Paper Money column to seek general member
input on use of the funds.
Batch Membership: PCGS wishes to use SPMC batch member-
ships. Tom Denly is now. Such use does not constitute SPMC
endorsement of the sponsor. We will monitor sponsors' ads to make
sure there is no such representation. They cannot use the SPMC logo
without permission. We need to provide a use statement for the web.
Bain Breakfast Report: Moon and Group reported that presenting
some of the awards at the breakfast worked well, and we received
numerous favorable comments. We sold 101 tickets; 18 tickets to
prize winners were comped. The raffle brought in $1314. After
expenses, SPMC profited $118.56. 120 people is the maximum capac-
ity in the present facility. We had a contributor's drawing for those
who made a significant contribution to the raffle prizes. We will con-
tinue this. The largest contributors this year were R. M. Smythe,
Hugh Shull, John Rowe, Heritage. Don and Judith Kagin, and Robert
Kravitz.
Restructuring of Board: Bolin said that SPMC needs both Board
and non-Board workers. Our recruitment process, both for workers
and simply members, needs bolstering. One means of publicizing the
needs and opportunities is via Paper Money. Additional consideration
needs to be given to term limits, a succession plan. and the Board
nomination process.
Methods to maintain openness: Bolin stated that we need to pro-
vide more timely information to members. The meeting minutes
should appear in the next issue of Paper Money. Should we have a
newsletter of some sort, perhaps electronic? Use the web to better or
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245 381
382 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
additional advantage? We will add additional information about the
Board to the web.
Wismer Project Proposal re. NC Scrip: Schreiner noted that
Jerry Roughton and Paul Homer are the designated Wismer authors
for North Carolina. They are now proposing to develop within about
three years a book on NC scrip, leaving the bank notes, now covered
by Haxby and Pennell, for later. SPMC would prefer that a NC book
have both, but we can accept this proposal. The authors will be put
in touch with Wismer project director Bob Cochran.
1929 Materials: Cochran/Bolin noted that Schreiner has received
the accumulation of materials for this now-defunct project. Requests
to examine the materials should be directed to President Bolin.
Directors & Officers Insurance: Duran was not present.
We will review options for renewing this in August. Such considera-
tions should be part of the audit committee's work.
New members/print overrun of PM: Bolin said that we now
appear to be receiving enough copies to ensure that new members
will receive a full year's issues regardless when they join. We can
now also provide each Board member with 25 hack copies for recruit-
ment use.
Library--ANA/Smythe: Anderson reported that Smythe's interest
in accepting our library will not be considered prior to the expected
June 2007 opening of their new financial museum. Schreiner wrote
the ANA about donating the library, but received no reply prior to
this meeting. [secretary's comment: David Sklow. Director, Library
and Research, subsequently offered these terms: (1) SPMC Library
would become the property of the ANA; (2) SPMC books would be
merged, at the sole discretion of the ANA into the current ANA
Library; (3) SPMC books would be identified solely by ANA Library
call numbers; (4) SPMC will be responsible for all shipping costs of
SPMC materials to the ANA Library; (5) An electronic list of all
SPMC members (including their SPMC membership numbers) will be
provided; (6) All SPMC members will conform to the ANA Library
loan policy. SPMC member Jeff Brueggeman has expressed interest
in accepting the library and serving as SPMC Librarian. The Board
will consider this matter again at its next meeting.
Research Grant Update: Horstman noted that SPMC awards six
$500 research grants each year. Three are currently available. We
have applications from Peter Huntoon, Tom Conklin, and Kathleen
Kimball. Based on the material presented by Horstman, the Board
approved the three additional grants. Motion by Horstman, second
by Anderson.
Awards Committee: Bolin reported that the cost of awards this
year is $1200. Reed suggested that SPMC name its literary awards
for Forrest Daniel. Daniel wrote more than 140 articles published in
Paper Money, won the very first SPMC Literary Award in 1964, and
won 10 SPMC Literary Awards in total (note: an 11th was presented
posthumously). After brief conversation and a suggestion that just
one of the Literary Awards be named for Daniel, the matter was
tabled. There was discussion about monetary prizes for some
awards. The Board was reluctant to make further award changes at
this time. All such matters were tabled.
Founders Award: Reed noted that the matter of the emblem associ-
ated with the Founder's Award has been left unresolved, Reed has
sought medal designs and production costs from Medallic Art Co.,
and he presented this material in the past. He asked that we proceed
with this decision. After some discussion, the Board remained con-
cerned about the cost of the medals, and tabled the matter.
Republishing of Articles Proposal: Bolin said that we have been
asked to reprint past Paper Money articles by topic. Further discus-
sion was tabled.
Proposal to reprint books: Bolin stated that Sanford Durst has
asked SPMC for permission reprint some of the Society's Wismer
books. There was concern about the Society giving up these assets
and about copyright issues for SPMC and the authors. On a motion
by Schreiner, second Murphy, the Board decided to not grant such
permission.
Feedback on conference calls/schedule and St. Louis meeting:
Feedback on use of this conference calls for Board meetings has gen-
erally been positive. The President sought further advice on this, to
be conveyed by email later. The next convened meeting is expected to
be in St. Louis in November.
President Bolin adjourned the meeting at 10:10am.
Board membership opportunity to
improve our Society & hobby
IN ORDER TO PROMOTE MEMBER PARTICIPA-don and broaden representation of views and interests on
the SPMC Board of Governors, Society President Benny
Bolin has instituted a ramped up approach to Society election
procedures.
Society elections are held annually. Each year four of the
12 seats on the board are filled. Ordinarily some or all of the
incumbent board members stand for reelection, and others
may also run, of course. However, in recent years contested
elections have been few, and Bolin hopes the renewed empha-
sis in this area of the Society's activities will kick start broader
participation.
As a catylist, the President picked a new Nominating
Committee, including members .Minerley, Murphy, Hessler,
Cochran, Reed with a broad charge: an active and proactive
NC is a must for the society to exist and maintain state of the
art leadership and direction, actively seek out quality candi-
dates for succession of board members, strive for 100% con-
tested elections in order to give the membership a choice,
actively recruit members for the board and committees who
are passionate, eager to serve, active and proactive, a diverse
board is preferred in regards to age, collecting interest and
geographical distribution, ensure the appropriate methods for
candidacy is followed as stated in the by-laws; publish in PM
according to the following proposed timetable: Sept/Oct --
notice of election, overview of requirements and commitments
just to get something out to the membership, Nov/Dec --
notice of election with names of sitting members of those
seats, Jan/Feb -- publish call for names, Mar/Apr -- publish all
bios, May/June -- election, July/Aug -- publish results.
Readers with questions or suggestions are encouraged to
contact committee members.
Sharp-eyed reader catches our mistake
Reader Ron LaSpisa mailed the Editor shortly after the last issue
hit the streets: "Fred, is the remainder of Dave Bowers article
"Showcasing the 100 Greatest Notes - The Inside Story" - avail-
able within the current Paper Money magazine anywhere? It
appears to stop without ending on page 294." For Ron and oth-
ers, for some unknown reason the last line: "did not make the top
100 list, but came close." did not make the magazine, but came
close. Obviously the printer's rastering of the text was different
from the Editor's, much to our chagrin. Our apologies.
Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
383
_ • _
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St. Louis Welcomes
You to the 21st Annual
N ational and World Paper
Money Convention
PCDA Thursday thru Saturday, November 16-18, 2006 PCDA
(FREE ADMISSION)
St. Louis Airport Hilton Hotel, 10330 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO
Rooms $99.00 Call (314) 426-5500
All Paper Money Bourse Area
Lyn Knight Auction
Society Meetings
Educational Programs
Complimentary Airport Shuttle
Bourse Applications:
Kevin Foley
P.O. Box 573
Milwaukee, WI 53201
414-421-3498
Enpil:kfoley2@wixr.com
And
Ron Horstman
PO Box 2999
Leslie, MO 63056
Show Hours: Thursday 9am-noon
(Professional Preview) $50 tee
Public Admission Noon-6pm
Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-6pm
Future Dates: November 14-17,2007
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J. Roy Pennell Jr., our senior member with lowest
member number, was honored with a second "life-
time" achievement award at Memphis. (BNR photo)
384 September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
SPMC honors J. Roy Pennell for outstanding lifetime
achievements & others for various accomplishments
VORMER SPMC PRESIDENT AND SOCIETY
r founding Charter Member #8 J. Roy Pennell Jr. received
the SPMC Nathan Gold Memorial lifetime achievement
award during ceremonies at the recent Memphis Paper Money
Show. The award was announced by Society President Benny
Bolin during the traditional SPMC breakfast Friday morning
June 16th.
Pennell, who also is Honorary Life Member #8 (Aug. 21,
1975), was a popular and well-deserved choice for the presti-
gious honor. The award is presented annually to outstanding
collectors who have made "concrete and scientific" contribu-
tions to the hobby. Pennell was specifi-
cally cited for his work on obsolete
paper money counterfeits. Years ago
Roy published hardback reprints of
Civil War era counterfeit detectors.
More recently he has compiled listings
of known counterfeits on a state-by-
state basis. His Connecticut listing
appeared in these pages in our Sept/Oct
2005 issue. Another installment will
appear in our forthcoming issue devoted
to obsolete notes.
Roy is truly one of the greats in the
history of SPMC and with Chet Krause
(SPMC #9) among the last of the
remarkable cadre which launched and
helmed our Society in its fledgling
years. In many ways it was Roy who
was the sparkplug of the young organi-
zation. In addition to serving as
President (1971-75), he was Vice
President (1969-71), Secretary (1964-
67), Governor (1965-79) and Publisher
(1965-78).
It was in his roles as Secretary and
Publisher specifically, that Roy left his mark on our early clays.
As Secretary he was the "go-to" person and steadying influ-
ence. No significant decision by any member of the SPMC
family was made without consulting Roy, and those seeking
his counsel were well served. The four green bound volumes
of our first eight years of Paper Money, that have become such
a cherished relic for latter day members, was Roy's initiative.
Pennell also has served as our awards and nominating
chairman. In 1968 he received the Society's Outstanding
Service Award (an Award of Merit). In 1988 he received his
first Nathan Gold Award, and thus now joins three others who
have received this award twice (Grover Criswell, Gene
Hessler, Fred Reed).
The Society presented Honorary Life Memberships to
three more outstanding veteran members, fractional currency
author Milt Friedberg, publisher and author Chet Krause, and
past President, Secretary and Governor Bob Cochran.
Pierre Fricke, author of Collecting Confederate Paper Money
(R.M. Smythe), received the D.C. Wismer Award for the best
new paper money book published during the preceding year.
The Society also presented an unprecedented number of
Awards of Merit for service to the hobby. Recipients included
the Memphis Coin Club, sponsor of the premier paper money
show for the past 30 years; Mart Delger, exhibits chairman of
the show all that time; David Harper, editor of Bank Note
Reporter, and Michele Orzano, associate editor of Coin World's
Paper Money Values.
The year was a banner one for numismatic publishing.
Also receiving Awards of Merit are authors Art Friedberg, Ira
Friedberg, and Q. David Bowers for A Guide Book of United
States Paper Money (Whitman Publishing); Gene Hessler for
The International Engraver's Line (self-published); Ricardo
Magan for Latin American Bank Note Records (self-published);
Mack Martin and Kenneth
Latimer for State of Georgia:
Treasury Notes, Treasury
Certificates & Bonds (self-pub-
lished); Fred Reed for Show Me
the Money! The Standard Catalog
of Motion Picture, TV, Stage and
Advertising Prop Money
(McFarland & Co.); and Jim
Noll for TITO's: Machine
Readable Slot Machine Cashout
Tickets, a New Collectible (self-
published).
Massachusetts dealer Tom
Denly won the Nathan
Goldstein Recruitment Award
again. Denly has assisted the
Society for many years with
recruitment, and has become a
perennial winner of this award
in recent years.
Mark Tomasko was pre-
sented the Dr. Glenn Jackson
Memorial Award, given to
honor an outstanding article
about bank note essays, proofs and specimens and the
engravers who produced them. Tomasko also received the
Julian Blanchard Award for the best exhibit depicting
vignettes, specimens and proofs.
Literary Awards for the best articles in Paper Money in
2005 honored: Don Kagin, 1st place in Federal paper money,
and Francis X. Macs, 2nd place; Michael McNeil and Crutch
Williams, 1st place in Confederate currency, and Pierre
Fricke, 2nd place; Q. David Bowers, 1st place in U.S. obsolete
currency, and J. Roy Pennell Jr., 2nd place;
Also, Peter Huntoon, Bob Liddell and James Hughes 1st
place in National Currency, and Bob Cochran, 2nd place;
Joaquin Gil del Real, 1st place in foreign currency, and Albert
Irizarry, 2nd place; and Jim Noll and Forrest Daniel
(deceased) 1st and 2nd places respectively in general paper
money subjects.
Jim Lippincott won the Stephen Taylor Best in Show
exhibit award. Jim Simeck and Benny Bolin received honor-
able mentions for their exhibits. Simeck also won the Bank
Note Reporter Most Inspirational Award for the exhibit most
likely to interest a non collector and spur him/her into taking
up the hobby.
-\: .‘1.1DO NOT FOLD DO NOT SPINDLE
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Paper Money • September/October 2006 • Whole No. 245
385
TEST ME •
A S PART OF THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THEAlexander Hamilton Webfed Currency Press, the Bureau ofEngraving and Printing (BEP) had to provide test plates to the con-tractor, Hamilton Tool Company, to conduct a simulated produc-
tion run in 1990 at its facility in Hamilton, Ohio.
It seems likely that either the BEP or possibly the Columbian-Security
Banknote Company prepared a Test Die, borrowing major design elements
from an existing BEP-designed Series 1970 U.S. Department of Agriculture $5
Food Coupon. The existence of such a Test Die was confirmed to the auhors
Figure 1. Test Die #16648 proof.
Web Press
Test Plate Varieties
By Bob Kvederas Sr. & Bob Kvederas Jr.
in January 1999 when the proof printing shown in Figure 1 was auctioned on
eBay and acquired by us. A sticker on the holder containing the note indicated
that it had been auctioned previously by R.M. Smythe Company in its June
1991 Memphis Mail Bid Auction as Lot #6614.
At the bottom of the proof, is the die/plate number "16648" and the
inscription, "TEST DIE FOR WEBB PRINTING." The number "S-16402"
also appears. The proof is printed in blue and is deeply embossed. The over-
• 4111 4 J
. :ow a..,
)1,0) CAOS.V(11Nr
DO NOT FOLD
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E087663 146 A
r
V-• Agricultural Abundance Healthier Families
• . • Co • sie es
NON - TRANSFERABLE
XCEPI UNDER CONDITIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
7rTa,f itIYAM.72."7-71" '77,77.MMT V-7:WiranT 74■74M71,i5-
70,TrititeriTn3Atial
Figure 3. Test Plate #16804 green
printing (above). Figure 4. Closeup of
S.-C.B.Co." (below).
Figure 2. Series 1970
USDA $5 Food Coupon.
September/October • Whole No. 245 • Paper Money
all appearance is strikingly similar to the Series 1970 Food Coupon shown in
Figure 2. While a different Lincoln portrait was used, the $5 value and several
inscriptions are exact duplicates. The BEP probably rejected the initial Test
Die design due to its resemblance to a Food Coupon, especially the $5 denomi-
nation.
386
16804
ClIABLE OPRN NREUVN, NTKEDESTC
The BEP-approved design changes resulted in the Test Plate design
shown in Figure 3. The inclusion of "© S.-C.B. Co." (Figure 4) in tiny let-
ters at the bottom of the left border would seem to indicate that the Security-
Columbian Banknote Company of Philadelphia, PA produced the final
design. The addition of a Pennsylvania keystone to the design supports this
conclusion. Note that the Lincoln portrait, the industry vignette, and the
"NON-TRANSFERABLE" inscription have all been retained from the earlier
Test Die design.
BEP information indicates that two Test Plate simulated production
runs were conducted. The first was at the Hamilton Tool Company with
BEP personnel present. The second and final acceptance run occurred at the
BEP Washington, DC production facility around June 1991. It is likely that
the BEP provided Test Plates using die #16804 for both test runs of the
press.
Examples of the Test Plate prints were first noticed in January 1993 at
the Florida United Numismatists Show in Orlando, FL. How anyone knew
then that these notes had been printed on the Alexander Hamilton Web-fed
ilIEW 1 NCH ESTER RANKate.
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'""ac' NATIONAL CURRENTY:F4.41,
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These two notes, both unique in collector hands,
are required to form the ultimate collection of U.S. Currency.
IDr. and Mrs. Dauer purchased this rarity in the mid-1980s, more than doubling the previous price record fora single note. Only two notes of this design are known,and the other example (featuring a different signature
combination) is permanently impounded
in the Smithsonian Institution. This
note first appeared in the 1944 Albert A.
Grinnell Collection of U.S. Paper Money
auction, where it realized $1,425 - a mere
$75 more than the "Grand Watermelon"
Treasury Note in the previous lot!
I RT. •,111.,"
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