Friedberg 31 (W-27). 1880 $1 Legal Tender Note. PCGS Currency Gem New 65 PPQ.Approximately 170 of these Rosecrans-Huston signed large red spiked seal 1880 $1 Legal Tender notes are known today, far fewer than the large brown seal notes of the same series date. This broadly margined example comes from the D plate position at the bottom of the four-subject sheet. The engraved design elements are sharply impressed while bold deep blue serial numbers are seen with the aforementioned red spiked seal. Bold overprint embossing is clearly seen in the area of the seal from the back of the note. PCGS has graded just two notes at this grade level with a single PPQ designated note finer.<p><strong>The Athenaeum Portrait</strong><p>The iconic portrait of Washington seen at center is based on the famous "unfinished painting" by Gilbert Stuart. Now known as the <em>Athenaeum Portrait,</em> the work was originally commissioned by Martha Washington to keep for herself. The artist, impressed by his own powerful likeness of the first president, requested to keep the portrait and based his future Washington pieces upon it. The portrait first appeared on $1 Legal Tender notes from the Series of 1869. Ever since it has remained in wide use, including today on $1 notes and in portraits displayed in schools and elsewhere.<em>From Kagins sale of April 1980, lot 531; Stacks Fixed Price List of August 1989; Spink Americas sale of May 1995, lot 176.</em>
