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1900 $10,000 Gold Certificate -- $1,495

GoCoinsGoCoins Posts: 176
in Buy, Sell, & Trade - U.S. Coins


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There is little doubt that the current offering was part of the December 13, 1935 fire at the U.S. Post Office building in Washington, D.C., which, 20 years earlier, had been converted to a storage facility for various government agencies. On that fateful day in 1935—which, coincidentally, was Friday the 13th—a fire broke out at the old Post Office and employees began throwing boxes of records out of the windows in an attempt to save as many documents as possible. Some of the files belonged to the U.S. Treasury and included redeemed $10,000 gold certificates, Act of March 1900. Just imagine that scene! Being rained upon by $10,000 bills!

The notes were really nothing more than receipts of a sort, since they could only be utilized by banks and government agencies, and nearly every known example shows large punch and/or roulette-type cancellations. A few notes are known without the cancellation holes, the current note being one such specimen. How this piece managed to avoid being cancelled is a mystery, but it could be that the certificate was awaiting cancellation when the fire erupted. Most notes are also endorsed on the back, but this piece, curiously, is lacking any markings.

Many of the known survivors also display fire and/or water damage—the result of the inferno and the firefighter's efforts to extinguish the flames. According to contemporary documentation, many pedestrians picked up the notes and kept them, despite the fact that they were (and still are) unredeemable, and that doing so was against the law. In actuality, these are still considered government property and could be seized, although dozens have been sold at public auctions over the years without incident.

The current offering displays characteristics similar to other specimens we have handled. There are a few stains in the central portion of the note and the middle area of the lower margin is missing. Additionally, the note has three vertical folds and one horizontal crease. Positive attributes include nice embossing, some crispness in the paper, and attractive, well preserved color. This gold certificate was paid to the order of “FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF N.Y. OR THE FEDERAL RESERVE AGENT AT N.Y., NEW YORK, MAY 17, 1917.” A fascinating piece of Americana which is in constant demand due to the ultra-high denomination.

Reduced $100 to $1,495, or will listen to reasonable offers - Shipping and insurance included. Thanks for looking.
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