Description and research notes
This 1974 1 Dollar Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District (Friedberg 1908-G, GD Block) presents a distinct Paper Jam Error—an uncommon and revealing production mishap that occurs when the currency paper fails to feed smoothly through the intaglio press or overprint unit. The result is a wrinkled or crumpled section of paper that becomes permanently flattened into the design, often distorting part of the printed image or leaving telltale creases and folds embedded beneath the ink.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s multi-stage process involves extremely fine tolerances, with paper sheets passing at high speed through multiple presses—first for back printing, then face, and finally for seals and serials. If a small moisture change or static buildup causes the paper to slip, jam, or bunch up, a localized buckle can form. When such an obstruction passes through the press, it distorts the ink transfer in that area. Once the paper tension resumes, the resulting note bears visible folds, wrinkles, or tears along one margin. In this specimen, the lower right corner exhibits the crumpled and misfed edge typical of a partial jam, accompanied by sharp ink displacement along the lower border.
PMG certified this example as 45 Choice Extremely Fine, indicating light circulation handling yet retaining clear color, crisp texture, and full original detail. The error is clearly defined and fully visible without structural damage beyond the jammed section. Graded with solid technical integrity, it remains an excellent teaching piece for the mechanics of sheet-fed printing and error classification.
The 1974 series, carrying the signatures of Neff and Simon, belongs to a transitional period in small-size Federal Reserve production that saw refined press alignment and ink-feed controls but still occasional mechanical misfeeds—especially on $1 notes printed in massive quantities. Chicago’s 'G' district seal and the bright green Treasury overprint mark it as part of a large-scale run typical of the era.
Among mechanical errors, paper jams are particularly instructive because they illustrate a process failure rather than an ink or cutting mistake. The folded paper physically interferes with the press, creating a three-dimensional deformation that can be analyzed to reconstruct the precise phase of production during which it occurred. For collectors and students of numismatic production, such pieces are prized for their diagnostic clarity, demonstrating how even the most mechanized operations can yield unpredictable individuality within the mass production of money.