Friedberg 263 (W-794). 1886 $5 Silver Certificate. PCGS Currency Very Choice New 64 PPQ.The $5 Silver Certificates of the Series of 1886 are among the most popular notes in all United States currency. Popularly referred to as "Silver Dollar Backs" due to the back design which features five Morgan silver dollars laid out in a row, these notes appeal to both currency and coin collectors. The face displays the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant within an oval frame at right. A large brown spiked Treasury Seal is just left of center. "United States" is in a circus poster styled format inside a curved panel in the left two-thirds of the face. Blue printed serial numbers are in panels at lower left and upper right above the portrait. This catalog number features engraved signatures of Rosecrans and Huston to the lower left and right of the portrait respectively. pThere were 6,800,000 Fr. 263s (W-794s) printed and today around 350 are estimated to survive. The present piece is quite pleasing and features bright, broadly margined paper and bold inks. All of the engraved design elements are sharply printed including the all-important back design. This is a wonderful large size type note with broad appeal.strongUlysses S. Grant/strongpBorn Hiram Ulysses Grant in Ohio in 1822, the future president gained a nomination to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1839. Due to an error by U.S. Representative Thomas L. Harmer, who wrote Ulysses S. Grant in his nomination letter, Grant was from then on known as by that name, as West Point could not change the name of an appointee. Grant graduated 21st out of his class of 39 in 1843 and reluctantly began his military career. After service in the Mexican-American War and service in California, Grant resigned from the Army in 1854 while rumors swirled about his potential drinking problem.ppAt the onset of the Civil War Grant, inspired by patriotism, sought to be recommissioned in the Army. He eventually gained a promotion to colonel and soon after was appointed a brigadier general. The Civil War saw Grant steadily rise to prominence as accounts of his bravery and success on the battlefield spread. By 1864 he was lieutenant general and commander of the entire army, answering only to President Lincoln. Grant mounted multiple attacks on Lees army in 1864 and 1865, finally receiving the Confederate generals surrender at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.ppIn the post-war reconstruction era Grants popularity grew. He oversaw reconstruction efforts in the South and toured the United States extensively with President Andrew Johnson for whom he briefly served as secretary of war. He was unanimously nominated as the Republican candidate for president in the election of 1868 and defeated Democrat challenger Horatio Seymour handily. Grant served as president from 1869 until 1877. He oversaw the re-admittance of the former Confederate states into the Union, strengthened the rights of African Americans, particularly in the South and sought the prosecution of Ku Klux Klan members who had sought to suppress African American voters. Grant died of throat cancer in 1885. His funeral in New York City was attended by more than 1.5 million people.ppFrom Lyn Knights sale of February 1999, lot 469; Heritage Auctions sale of April 2009, lot 14726.pp
