1891 $5 Silver Certificate Fr#267 PMG XF40

Scarce 1891 $5 Silver Certificate

This United States $5 Silver Certificate from 1891 pre-dates the popular Silver Certificate Educational Series and is considered to be quite scarce.

It depicts President Ulysses S. Grant, famed Union General during the Civil War and our 18th president. However, the words “United States” push him off-center, leaving his portrait on the right half of the note rather than in center as we see him today on our nation’s $50 notes. Further to the right is a bright red seal, while in the bottom left corner are stark blue serial numbers.

An earlier $5 Silver Certificate featuring Grant was issued in 1886, with the popular Morgan Silver Dollar displayed on the back. Since collectors took more ferociously to this second design, the 1891 is far scarcer. According to Paper Money Guaranty (PMG), 636 of the Morgan-backed notes have been graded, while just 312 of these ornate-back notes have been certified. That’s half as many as the other Grant note!

The 1891 notes are classified as Fr #267, a designation that refers to the numbering system in the widely used Paper Money of the United States reference book written by Arthur L. Friedberg and Ira S. Friedberg. The Fr numbers indicate varieties existing within a larger type design. This particular note has been certified and graded by PMG as being in Extremely Fine-40 (XF40) condition, making it far more affordable than the few notes graded higher in About Uncirculated (AU) or Crisp Uncirculated (CU) condition.

This a wonderful find — and one that should find its way into your collection!