Fr. 18. 1869 $1 Legal Tender Note. PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ.It takes little to understand why the Series of 1869 Legal Tender Notes are often called "Rainbow" notes and for good reason. Consider the specimen offered here in this lot for starters. Far and above most of its surviving peers with an assigned grade of Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ each element responsible for the aforementioned moniker is brought to uncommon form. Bold shades of blue account for a patented anti-counterfeiting method pioneered and favored by the Wilcox Company while distinct greens account for a distinct underprint close to the top margin and together these two elements offer a fine contrast against the light-red Treasury seal at right and the engraved balance of the design which would linger in-part through the 1920s. That balance as one can readily glean emphasizes a design carried on by several series imprints including the Series of 1917 which pales in comparison to its colorful counterpart from the 1860s. Familiar elements such as the left-facing portrait of Washington and Joseph P. Ourdans vignette <em>Columbus in Sight of Land</em> offer a fine counterpoint to the rich colors that not only offer a fine contrast, but also serve to emphasize each individual element in a way that the typical example of this Friedberg Number could not hope to match. To that end, this example is not only perfect for the the collector who merely collects by grade, but also perfect for the collector that places a strong emphasis on traits such as color and eye appeal.
