Old Silver Certificates

Money may not have gone farther back then but it did cover more area.

The top bill, a series 1899 Black Eagle Dollar is signed by John Burke Treasurer of the US and Houston B. Teehee , Register of the Treasury. This dates the bill between March 1915 and Nov 1919. It’s the dollar in use on the day of my mother’s birth and through World War I. To collectors this bill is known as a Friedberg Catalog # 233.

The lower bill is a 1923 series Silver Certificate signed by Frank White and Harley V. Speelman They signed bills through Nov 1927. This bill is Friedberg #237.

These and a few similar bills are from my mother’s estate. Most will soon be lost to the auctioneer at eBay.


You can see all the bills in more detail in a PhotoSet on my Flickr Photo Sharing site. Just click on the pictures above or to the left to check them out. Or follow this link

Note the links to name/date range above are to ronscurrency.com. That site is my source for dating the bills.

Thanks and kudus to Philip Driver at Philipdrivercurrency.com His site and friendly correspondence has been very helpful in learning the history and value of these bills. Check out his site if you would like to see or purchase rare and high quality similar old silver certificates.

While searching for info about my mother's bills I found two very good sites with well written currency grading definitions and guidelines.

The Currency Grading Tutorial found at Heritage Auction Galleries's site is an excelent reference. RonsCurrency.com's grading page is also very good.

The Cracked Quarter

This 1957 George Washington silver quarter is cracked. Check it out. Click on any of the pictures to see an enlarged detail view of the crack.


I found this quarter among change gathered on my paper route at age 13 or 14. It was already well circulated and worn but the crack seemed unusual. I set the quarter aside with a small coin collection. It’s one of the few things that survive from that collection.


I have always been intrigued by that crack. A digital camera with a macro setting and a little bit of software and now you can see why.


How can you crack a quarter after it is struck without bending it all out of shape and leaving tool marks? I don’t think you can. I think this quarter was cracked before it was struck. The silver blank that became this quarter was cracked before the die was struck. It should have never left the mint in Philadelphia.


You can see more pictures of this quarter on my Flickr photo sharing site. Click on the pic to check them out.