Description and research notes
This 1988A 1 Dollar Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District (Friedberg 1915-G, GE Block) displays a dramatic Insufficient Inking Error that left much of the upper design on the obverse faint or missing. The portrait of George Washington remains clear and fully struck, but the border engraving, serial zone, and areas above the central vignette show patchy or absent ink transfer. This occurred during the intaglio face printing pass when the plate failed to receive an even ink layer or when the wiping cylinder overcleaned the plate prior to impression.
While minor under-inking is occasionally seen on low-denomination issues, examples this pronounced are rare in the modern era—especially when preserved in high grade. The note’s pale upper register provides an instructive look into the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s mechanical process during the late 1980s. At the time, the BEP was operating high-speed presses that printed both faces in successive passes; a deviation in ink viscosity, plate temperature, or wiping pressure could yield the kind of ghosted areas evident here.
The 1 Dollar denomination, with its heavy circulation and massive print runs, seldom survives as a premium-grade error. Most such notes were either detected during automated inspection or worn beyond recognition in use. This piece, certified PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, stands out for both its clarity and originality—showing crisp embossing, bright paper, and fully intact margins. It represents the foundational denomination in a complete study of Insufficient Inking Errors across modern U.S. currency.
Together with its higher-value counterparts from the 5 to 100 Dollar range, this note illustrates how the same technical flaw can manifest differently across denominations and production years—transforming an everyday object into an enduring artifact of the BEP’s precision and fallibility.