拍品描述： 1878国库券5000元 PCGS Currency 25

Friedberg 188 (W-4970). 1878 $5,000 Legal Tender Note. PCGS Currency Very Fine 25. Specimen.One of the key highlights of the Joel R. Anderson Collection, this Fr.188 1878 $5,000 Legal Tender Specimen, was furnished to the Chinese government by the U.S. Treasury Department. It is the only example of the type known and the only non-proof large size $5000 note available to the collecting public.<p><p>This note is a fully accomplished note printed on BEP bank note paper. It appears just as a fully issued note would have save for the three solid blue stars placed in the serial number panels and the brown overprint stating its specimen status. The type has the portrait of James Madison at left. A gold 5000 counter is found at top center while the serial number panels at bottom left and upper right are also in gold. A large red spiked Treasury Seal is centered on the note while a 5000 die counter is to the far right. Engraved signatures of Scofield and Gilfillan are in the bottom right corner. Each signature has three small punch cancellations. The back is printed in green and features an eagle perched on a shield, atop a rock overlooking the sea. Vertical 5000 counters are to the far left and right.<p><p>While clearly a note that never entered circulation, the handling is commensurate with the Very Fine grade assigned by the grading service. The inks are all bold and the paper is bright and free of distractions.<p><p>Just 4,000 pieces were printed for this catalog number and no issued examples are known to survive. If this were a fully issued note of equal rarity it would certainly be conceivable that it could bring over $2 million. Still this is as close to an issued note as any collector can hope to obtain. This note realized $805,000 when it was auctioned in September 2007. It is just as rare and significant now as it was then.<p><p><strong>PCGS Population: </strong>1, none finer.<em>From Heritage Auctions sale of September 2007, lot 15306.</em>