Description: Up for sale is an insanely rare and widely unknown variety of an 1899 $1 Black Eagle Silver Certificate. This is the Fr 228R Pre-Star Replacement with Vernon-Treat signatures and date below the serial number. Only 10 are known to exist, making this rarer than most large size star notes. Most people have never heard of a Pre-Star Replacement. What is a Pre-Star Replacement? Prior to 1910, all defective notes were replaced with notes of identical serial numbers. It wasn't until 1910 that Congress and the Treasury authorized a star to be added to the serial number to denote a replacement note instead of resetting numbering heads to keep replacing defective notes with identical serial numbers, which was time consuming and not cost effective. So the star note that collectors know and love did not exist before the middle of the Vernon-McClung signature run on large size notes. On notes printed prior to 1902, there is no way to differentiate between original and replacement notes, as all were serial numbered on the exact same equipment. In the middle of 1902, the older paging machines were replaced with new high speed rotary machines for regular production. However, it was difficult and timely to reset the numbering heads on the new machines to make individual sheets of replacement notes, so they were serial numbered on the older paging machines. For the first time, this created a difference that could be noticed. Regular notes all had a newer style font with more open numbers versus the older machines which used more closed or "droopy" numbers and long-handled 4's. I have included pics showing the difference. Credit to Shawn Hewitt at Minnesota Nice for all the research. So from 1902-1910 on most classes of currency, you can notice a subtle difference on replacement notes, which were the "Star Notes" of the day, and called Pre-Star Replacements. These notes are far rarer than their Star Note counterparts as people at the time did not know this and these were not collected and set aside as later Star Notes were. Very few have ever surfaced, and none have ever been found on many denominations of currency. With a known population of just 10 notes, this is far rarer than any Black Eagle Star Note, including the Fr 229*. This is even rarer than famous notes such as the 1905 Technicolor $20, 1933 $10 Silver Certificates, and $100 Gold Certificate Stars, all of which sell in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. This note grades Fine in my opinion with even circulation and small edge tear at the top. Please check scans and judge condition for yourself. Grab this extreme rarity while you can, basically no one has this note in their collection. The only other Pre-Star Replacement note I have sold of this Fr number was a VG and ended up going for over $700 on the first day it was listed. In all of my years collecting and selling this is only the third Pre-Star I have ever had. Don't miss this chance to obtain a note that basically no other collector has anywhere, exceeding the rarity of just about any currency out there. Sent with signature confirmation. Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Price: 849.99 USD
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
End Time: 2024-04-23T17:45:16.000Z
Shipping Cost: 8.95 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Circulated/Uncirculated: Circulated
Denomination: $1
Type: Banknotes
Year: 1899
Grade: Ungraded
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Modified Item: No
Certification: Uncertified
