Collection — Specimens, Proofs & Issued Banknotes

United States 1929 Type 2 uncut pair of 5 Dollars National Bank Notes from The Thomas County National Bank of Colby Kansas Charter 13076 with original 1944 W.D. Ferguson signed bank letter

United States 1929 - Uncut Pair of $5 Type 2 National Bank Notes with 1944 Bank Letter – The Thomas County National Bank of Colby, Kansas Charter 13076 W.D. Ferguson Provenance (Friedberg 1800-1)

Sets of this kind are virtually unknown. While individual Colby $5 notes appear occasionally in collections, none are recorded as uncut pairs with verified period letters. The Ferguson correspondence elevates this artifact from numismatic rarity to documentary history, capturing a moment when local banking, personal gratitude, and American currency art intersected on the same page. Read more →

United StatesNational Bank Note19295 Dollars (Uncut Pair)Uncirculated (Estimated Choice–Gem) 5 DollarsNational Bank NoteIssued NoteNational Bank Note Provenance SetType 2Uncut PairColbyKansasCharter 13076W.D. FergusonProvenance Letter1944 Correspondence1922Small Size NationalBank HistoryPick UnlistedMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1929 Type 1 - 5 Dollars National Bank Note The Thomas County National Bank of Colby Kansas Charter 13076 raw circulated example with signatures of N Reimers and W D Ferguson

United States 1929 - 5 Dollars Type 1 National Bank Note - The Thomas County National Bank of Colby, Kansas Charter 13076 (Friedberg 1800-1)

The note follows the standard small-size Type 1 national design with Abraham Lincoln’s engraved portrait at center, flanked by bold denomination counters and the brown Treasury seal at right. The blue charter number '13076' appears vertically at both margins, while serial F004065A and red-brown overprint connect it to Colby’s 1929 issue block. The printed facsimile signatures of cashier N. Reimers and president W. D. Ferguson confirm its authenticity and continuity with the bank’s leadership also seen on its earlier 1902 issues and later 1944 correspondence. Read more →

United StatesNational Bank Note19295 DollarsRaw Circulated (Good–Very Good, estimated) 5 DollarsType 1National Bank NoteIssued NoteColbyKansasCharter 13076Lincoln1929Circulated ExampleGreat DepressionBanking History

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1996 100 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District with Insufficient Inking Error on the reverse, PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, showing faint Independence Hall design

United States 1996 - 100 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Insufficient Inking Error (Friedberg 2175-G)

Insufficient inking errors of this magnitude are extremely uncommon on 100 Dollar notes. High-denomination sheets were printed under the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s most rigorous quality-control protocols, and nearly all examples showing such severe defects were intercepted and destroyed. This survivor is therefore not only visually dramatic but also a rare testament to the limits of quality assurance at a time when the BEP was modernizing production with computer-assisted presses and updated ink formulations. Read more →

United StatesError Note1996100 DollarsPMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NotePrinting ErrorInsufficient Inking ErrorModern Printing ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingChicago DistrictFriedberg 2175-G1996Gem UncirculatedPMG 66 EPQCurrency ProductionModern RarityUnited States Currency100 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1996 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District with Insufficient Inking Error affecting the left side of the obverse, PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, portrait of Ulysses S. Grant visible with pale printing

United States 1996 - 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Insufficient Inking Error (Friedberg 2126-G)

Graded PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, the note retains original embossing, crisp paper, and strong color on the unaffected portions. The combination of technical precision, visual drama, and impeccable preservation makes this a reference-quality example of an Insufficient Inking Error-an artifact from an era when human oversight and mechanical imperfection occasionally intersected to produce collectible modern rarities. Read more →

United StatesError Note199650 DollarsPMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteIssued NoteError NotePrinting ErrorInsufficient Inking ErrorModern Printing ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingChicago DistrictFriedberg 2126-G1996Gem UncirculatedPMG 65 EPQCurrency ProductionModern RarityUnited States Currency50 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1993 20 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the New York District with Insufficient Inking Error on the reverse, PMG 67 EPQ Superb Gem Uncirculated, showing faint White House vignette and missing ink coverage

United States 1993 - 20 Dollars Federal Reserve Note New York District Insufficient Inking Error (Friedberg 2079-B)

The combination of an exceptional printing anomaly and PMG’s 67 EPQ Superb Gem Uncirculated grade makes this note an outstanding study specimen for modern U.S. error specialists. It offers a pristine example of both technical imperfection and production precision: a flawless sheet that escaped destruction despite its striking defect. The result is a note that simultaneously showcases the artistry of late 20th-century U.S. engraving and the fallibility of industrial-scale printing technology. Read more →

United StatesError Note199320 DollarsPMG 67 EPQ Superb Gem Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NotePrinting ErrorInsufficient Inking ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingNew York DistrictFriedberg 2079-B1993Superb Gem UncirculatedPMG 67 EPQModern RarityUnited States Currency20 DollarsProduction Anomaly

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1950A 10 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District with Butterfly Fold Error extending from the lower right corner, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, showing misprinted triangular fold pattern

United States 1950A - 10 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Butterfly Fold Error (Friedberg 2011-G)

Butterfly fold errors are treasured among collectors for their artistic unpredictability and diagnostic clarity-they offer a three-dimensional look at the precise moment when a mechanical accident became permanent history. This 1950A Chicago example stands among the finest recorded of its type and serves as an outstanding teaching piece in the study of U.S. printing anomalies. Read more →

United StatesError Note195010 DollarsPMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NoteButterfly Fold ErrorFolding ErrorPrinting ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingChicago DistrictFriedberg 2011-G1950A Series1950PMG 64 EPQChoice UncirculatedModern Error NoteProduction AnomalyUnited States Currency10 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1988A 10 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Philadelphia District showing Insufficient Inking Error on face with faded denomination medallions and title, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated

United States 1988A - 10 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Philadelphia District Insufficient Inking on Face Error (Friedberg 2028-C)

Insufficient Inking Errors occur when the BEP intaglio press fails to deliver a consistent charge of ink to the printing plate. On multi-color notes like this one, such failures most commonly affect the black face impression, where detailed engraved lines require precise ink density to reproduce depth and tone. When the ink film thins prematurely, sections of the plate transfer only partial images, leaving light gray ghosting instead of crisp intaglio relief. Read more →

United StatesError Note198810 DollarsPMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NoteInsufficient Inking ErrorPrinting ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingPhiladelphia DistrictFriedberg 2028-C1988A Series1988PMG 64 EPQChoice UncirculatedModern Error NoteIntaglio PrintingUnited States Currency10 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1995 5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the San Francisco District showing Insufficient Inking Error on Face with faded left-side border and corner medallions, PCGS 58 PPQ Choice About New

United States 1995 - 5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note San Francisco District Insufficient Ink on Face Error (Friedberg 1985-L)

Although the PCGS label describes the note as “Underinking on Face,” the more technically precise classification per Bureau of Engraving and Printing standards is 'Insufficient Inking Error.' In such cases, the wiping cylinder or inking roller fails to properly recharge with fresh ink between sheets, leaving sections of the design starved of pigment. The engraved lines, especially in high-relief portrait zones, appear flat and lack their usual depth and sheen. Read more →

United StatesError Note19955 DollarsPCGS 58 PPQ Choice About New Federal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NoteInsufficient ink errorSmall size banknotePortrait of Abraham Lincoln5 DollarsBureau of Engraving and PrintingSan Francisco Federal Reserve DistrictFriedberg 1985-LPremium Paper Quality designationModern United States currencyUnited States printing errorContemporary error note collectingHistoryUnited States1995PCGS 58 PPQChoice About NewMuseum Grade

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1985 5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Cleveland District showing Insufficient Inking Error on back with faded left-side vignette and frame, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated

United States 1985 - 5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Cleveland District Insufficient Inking on Back Error (Friedberg 1978-D)

A visually striking Insufficient Inking Error on this 1985 5 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Cleveland District (Friedberg 1978-D, DB Block) leaves nearly two-thirds of the reverse design ghosted or missing. The left portion of the intaglio printing-normally displaying the numeral '5,' frame ornamentation, and portions of the Lincoln Memorial vignette-shows only a faint outline where the press failed to transfer adequate ink to the paper. Read more →

United StatesError Note19855 DollarsPMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NoteInsufficient Inking ErrorPrinting ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingCleveland DistrictFriedberg 1978-D1985 Series1985PMG 64 EPQChoice UncirculatedModern Error NoteIntaglio PrintingUnited States Currency5 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1988A 1 Dollar Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District with Insufficient Inking Error on the obverse, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, showing faint upper printing and clear portrait of George Washington

United States 1988A - 1 Dollar Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Insufficient Inking Error (Friedberg 1915-G)

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. Read more →

United StatesError Note19881 DollarPMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NotePrinting ErrorInsufficient Inking ErrorModern Printing ErrorBureau of Engraving and PrintingChicago DistrictFriedberg 1915-G1988A Series1988Choice UncirculatedPMG 64 EPQUnited States CurrencyModern Rarity1 Dollar

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1993 20 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District with dramatic Printed Tear Errors on both sides, PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, showing folded and torn corners obstructing ink transfer

United States 1993 - 20 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Printed Tear Error (Friedberg 2080-G)

This 1993 20 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District (Friedberg 2080-G, GA Block) represents one of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s most visually dynamic mechanical failures-a genuine Printed Tear Error, preserved in fully original condition. The note exhibits two sharply folded and partially torn corners that became creased before entering the final printing pass. When the sheet was fed into the intaglio press, the torn and folded segments prevented ink from transferring to those areas, leaving distinctive blank voids and offset impressions once unfolded. Read more →

United StatesError Note199320 DollarsPMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated United StatesFederal Reserve NoteIssued NoteError NotePrinting ErrorPrinted Tear ErrorFolded During PrintingBureau of Engraving and PrintingMechanical ErrorProduction AnomalyChicago DistrictFriedberg 2080-G1993 Series1993Choice UncirculatedPMG 64 EPQUnited States CurrencyModern Error Note20 Dollars

Held

Ask PMG Census

United States 1929 Type 1 20 Dollars National Bank Note from The First National Bank of Youngstown, Ohio, Charter 3, Friedberg 1802-1, Grading Fine 15

United States 1929 - 20 Dollars Type 1 National Bank Note - The First National Bank of Youngstown, Ohio Charter 3 (Fr. 1802-1)

Low-charter national. The First National Bank of Youngstown operated under Charter 3, a single-digit charter number issued in the opening days of the National Banking era. Early charters are coveted because they document the very first adopters of the 1863 National Banking system and their numbers stayed with the bank through every redesign and consolidation. Read more →

United StatesNational Bank Note192920 DollarsLegacy Currency Grading Fine 15 20 DollarsNational Bank NoteIssued NoteType 1YoungstownOhioCharter 3Low Charter1929Legacy Fine 15Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Held

Ask PMG Census