Friedberg 1199 (W-2967). 1913 $50 Gold Certificate. PCGS Currency Superb Gem New 67 PPQ.With superb centering and registration, razor sharp corners and wholly original paper surfaces it is easy to see how this 1913 $50 Gold Certificate found its way to the top of the condition census. It is the single finest example to be graded by either PCGS or PMG. The engraved design elements, including the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant, are all sharply printed in striking detail. Bold gold overprints are present on the face with punch through embossing clearly evident when viewed from the back, further attesting to the strict originality of the paper. The back printing displays brilliant orange-gold color and sharp detail to the intricate design. This note last sold at auction for $63,250 in June 2009. Nearly a decade later it still remains the finest known and worthy of strong bids.<strong>$50 Gold Certificates, Series of 1913</strong><p>The 1913 and 1922 series featured a portrait of President Ulysses S. Grant with gold imprints to the left and right. They were backed by gold coins (mostly double eagles) stored by the Treasury Department, which regularly published an accounting of them. The back was printed in orange-gold ink that tended to fade. Notes like this one with bright orange color on the back, are worth more than those where the ink has faded.<p><p>By 1913, Gold Certificates had taken the place of gold coins in many transactions. They were easy to store in quantity and could be readily converted into double eagles (the most popular denomination by far at the time) or other values. So far as we can learn, Gold Certificates circulated more widely from the Rocky Mountain states to the West Coast than they did in the East or Midwest. Today, any Gold Certificate in Gem New 67 grade is a rarity. The $50 here offered is unique as such.<p><p><em>From Lyn Knights sale of June 2009, lot 613.</em>
