Few notes are as recognizable to collectors as the so-called Black Eagle $1 Silver Certificates issued from 1899 through 1923. Available to collectors in quantity, Black Eagles are a common sight at shows and shops across the United States. However, even among more common types, a rarity among rarities can often be found. Such is the case for lot 21102 in our Spring 2024 U.S. Currency Showcase Auction.
Representing one of the earliest printings of this iconic design, this uncut sheet features the engraved signatures of Register J. W. Lyons and Treasurer Ellis H. Roberts and bears serial numbers 9 through 12. These distinctions are significant as they indicate that this sheet was only the third sheet ever printed of the design by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, one which would continue in production for just over two decades until being replaced in 1923.
Adding to the desirability, this sheet, unlike so many others, is in a state of preservation comparable to when it first came off the printing press in Washington. Graded Choice Uncirculated 64 by PMG, the quality is impressive. The jet-black engraved details and the denim-blue overprints, all against a continuous original sheet of creamy white paper makes for stunning visual appeal.
A small circular cut is noticed along the top selvage, trifling when weighed against the numismatic significance of this lofty offering as a whole. Here is a rare opportunity for collectors seeking to assemble a first-rate cabinet of large size notes, so bid accordingly and expect fierce competition to claim this veritable treasure!
To view the entire Stack’s Bowers Galleries Spring 2024 Official Whitman Expo auction visit StacksBowers.com. To consign your numismatic items to one of our upcoming auctions, please call 800-458-4646 or email Consign@StacksBowers.com.
