1890年100美元国库券 PMG Choice Unc 63
Friedberg 377. 1890 $100 Treasury Note. PMG Choice Uncirculated 63 EPQ. This is one of the great treasures of the D. Brent Pogue Collection of United States paper money, a true trophy note unequaled for its type. This is the finest known $100 Treasury Note including both the 1890 and 1891 varieties. It is the only example that resides in an Uncirculated third-party holder. Commonly known as "Watermelon Notes," the 1890 $100 Treasury Notes are always a favorite of collectors.
Their nickname comes from the large distinctive zeros found on the back of the note that bear an unmistakable resemblance to the fruit. The face portrays Admiral David Farragut at right with a large 100 counter just left of center. Engraved signatures of Treasury officers Rosecrans and Huston are seen along the bottom border. A large brown spiked Treasury Seal is near the center.Watermelon notes are represented by just one catalog number, of which 120,000 were printed and issued.
Today only 35 examples are known, and of those at least seven are in government or institutional collections, essentially unavailable to collectors. The 1890 $100 Treasury Notes were replaced by the Series of 1891 notes which featured an "Open Back" design thought to deter counterfeiters.The presently offered example is from plate position C and displays serial number A67171 in bold red inks at the lower left and upper right. It is nicely centered and framed by generous margins.
The brown Treasury Seal is sharply displayed in great detail as are all of the engraved design elements. This is one of those rare notes where the most popular details are found on the back. The ornate green printed plate impression of this note is nearly perfectly centered and displays striking detail. The reasoning behind the "Watermelon" nickname is unmistakable. It has been nearly 15 years since this note last appeared at auction. It realized an impressive $356,500 in a less developed market in May 2005. Then it was described as Choice New.
In the years since the Choice grade has been affirmed by PMG who also awarded this example their coveted EPQ qualifier attesting to the originality of the note.This is an outstanding opportunity for collectors to own one of the greatest notes our field has to offer, a type every elite level large size collection requires and the finest example available. <em>From Stanley Moryczs Fixed Price Lists of April 1992 and January 1993; Lyn Knights sale of March 2001, lot 644; Heritage/Currency Auctions of Americas sale of May 2005, lot 16733. </em>
