Fr. 329. 1880 $50 Silver Certificate. PCGS Banknote Choice Fine 15.

A Rarely Offered Friedberg Number and Denomination Fr. 329. 1880 $50 Silver Certificate. PCGS Banknote Choice Fine 15. Representative of the final signature combination issued under the Series of 1880. This well-circulated note was one of just 120,000 printed and issued. Typical of its predecessors, this design comes anchored by a portrait of Senator Edward Everett of Massachusetts who served as a Senator and as Secretary of State (briefly) under the Fillmore administration during the 1850s appears at right in a comparatively undefined portrait. Opposite Everett's portrait, a bed of floral scrollwork accompanied by various counters makes for an unusual sight even for a time when such flourishes were rather common but were often more rounded or angular in comparison. On the back, a rather unusual aesthetic distinction makes its presence plainly apparent to viewers. The brownish-black tint of the back makes for a sight exclusive to early Silver Certificates that can be traced back to the Series of 1878. Featuring the word "SILVER" in large block letters, these letters were undoubtedly a welcome sight to the influential populist "Silverites" who wielded considerable political power in the Mountain West and the agrarian states of the Great Plains during the twilight of the Nineteenth Century until the passage of the Gold Standard Act in 1900 effectively settled the question of bimetallism in the United States. Historical context aside, bidders are met here with a truly rare note that stands as one of 30 pieces recorded for the final iteration of the Series of 1880. Estimate: $12,500 - $17,500. Click here for certification details from PCGS Banknote.

Estimate:£5,619.86

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