Fr. 169. 1875 $100 Legal Tender Note. PMG Very Fine 30. This is a rare $100 Legal Tender note for which only 13 examples are known, three of which are in permanent institutional collections and forever unavailable to collectors. The face design of this note is much the same as seen on the earlier 1869 $100 "Rainbow" note, with Lincoln portrayed at left, a small Liberty head at bottom center, and Reconstruction at right. For the 1875 series a pink decorative overprint is featured near top center, with a pink spiked Treasury Seal near bottom right. The serial numbers are blue and followed by a Maltese cross instead of a star at the end. The engraved signatures of Allison and New flank the small Liberty head at bottom center. The back design is more intricate than on the 1869 notes, with 100 counters in the top corners and Roman numeral Cs in the bottom corners. The Legal Tender clause is at left along with anti-counterfeiting language.<p><p>Modest circulation is seen on this example, that has broad margins and bold pink overprint inks. All of the engraved design elements are displayed in sharp detail. PMG comments "Minor Restoration, Small Tear" on the back of the holder. The presence of these does little to distract from the desirability of this rarity.
