Description and research notes
This 1935F 1 Dollar Silver Certificate (Friedberg 1615, UI Block) bears a distinguished Courtesy Autograph by Ivy Baker Priest, Treasurer of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Her handwritten blue-ink signature appears directly above the printed facsimile of her name, representing one of the most desirable forms of official Treasury autographs collected today.
Courtesy autographs were personally applied by Treasury officials during their tenure—typically during public appearances, collector events, or visits to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Each signature transforms a standard note into a tangible piece of political and monetary history, marking direct engagement between government and the public. Priest’s autographs are particularly valued because she was the first woman to serve as Treasurer of the United States, a groundbreaking appointment during the postwar era.
The 1935F Silver Certificate belongs to the final generation of small-size blue-seal notes redeemable in silver. It carries the engraved signatures of Ivy Baker Priest and Robert B. Anderson and represents the last design type before the conversion to 'In God We Trust' reverse inscriptions and subsequent Legal Tender formats. The blue Treasury seal and serials signify its silver-backed legal status, now a hallmark of mid-20th-century U.S. currency.
Certified PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, the note retains crisp paper originality, bright color contrast, and deep embossing. The EPQ (Exceptional Paper Quality) designation confirms complete originality with no pressing or restoration, essential for autograph integrity. The hand-applied signature remains bold and well-placed, complementing the note’s balanced margins and vivid ink tone.
As both a numismatic and historical artifact, this 1935F courtesy-signed Silver Certificate bridges Treasury history and collectible paper money. It exemplifies how official autographing elevated common circulation notes into personal, documentable artifacts of U.S. governance. High-grade, personally signed examples such as this one are cornerstones of any advanced U.S. signature or courtesy-autograph collection.