The Series of 1896 is something of a marvel and one reflective of uncommon skill that has long since been lost. The $1 Silver Certificate issued under this series is by far one of the most recognizable and desired of all designs from the Nineteenth Century perhaps surpassed only by its $5 counterpart. Anchored by a vignette entitled <em>History Instructing Youth</em>, <em>History</em> represented by a partially reclined female allegorical figure seated atop a marble plinth roughly from the perspective of the Lee Mansion in Arlington is seen instructing <em>Youth</em> on the finer points of the Constitution. In the background the not-so-distant cityscape of Washington D.C. can be observed with the Washington Monument, the United States Capitol Building, and the Library of Congress further in the background. The Bureau of Engraving & Printing Building which currently houses offices associated with the United States Forest Service can also been seen as well in the foreground of the Capitol. The balance of the face design consists of serial number panels, denomination counters, and the names of notable Americans in the vein of Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson enclosed in individual laurels. The verso is anchored by the separate portraits of George and Martha Washington seen amidst a rich tapestry of engraved detail that unfortunately made the $1 and its counterparts hard to count in the minds of bankers and others of the period who typically handled large quantities of cash. Even so this is a remarkable specimen reflective of an uncommon caliber of quality that just radiates with color and detail. The bi-colored Treasury overprint looks as if it were just applied from a fresh stock of ink sourced from overseas while the level of engraved detail is downright extraordinary with individual laurel leaves and even individual blocks of the Washington Monument visible to the observer and arguably best reflects the uncommon grade awarded to this note by PMG. PMG Pop 17/1 Finer.From the Shores Collection Part I.
































