Collection PL

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

Such a failure results when the intaglio plate-responsible for forcing thick, oily ink into the engraved lines-receives an uneven or insufficient coating before the sheet is pressed. In this instance, the defect likely stemmed from an improperly inked press cylinder or premature wiping of excess ink by the BEP’s wiping cloth, producing a ghost-like image instead of the deep relief expected from true intaglio pressure. Read more →

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

This 1996 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District (Friedberg 2126-G, AGB Block) demonstrates a dramatic Insufficient Inking Error affecting the left side of the obverse. The portrait of Ulysses S. Grant remains fully defined, yet the surrounding text, borders, and background show substantial ink loss, fading into near blankness. The mechanical cause was an uneven ink transfer during the intaglio stage-either due to low ink viscosity or an improperly adjusted wiping mechanism-which prevented adequate pigment from being carried into the recessed lines of the plate. Read more →

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

This kind of production fault is caused when the intaglio plate receives too little ink or when the wiping cloth removes excess pigment unevenly across the surface. Because each sheet is printed under heavy pressure, insufficient ink application yields these pale, ghost-like impressions. Severe cases like this one are very seldom seen in high-denomination modern notes, as they typically fail Bureau of Engraving and Printing quality-control inspection. Read more →

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

Butterfly fold errors occur during the high-speed sheet-fed printing stage, typically in the first or second pass of the intaglio press. Because the paper web is both damp and under tension, even a small curl or mechanical misfeed can cause a single corner to tuck over before impression. Such errors were usually caught and destroyed during BEP inspection, making fully released examples-especially those on higher denominations-extraordinarily rare. Read more →

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

Unlike routine cutting or trimming errors, which occur after printing, a true printed tear is a press-stage event: the design was never applied where the paper surface was obstructed. These notes are valued not only for their dramatic appearance but also for what they teach about BEP mechanics. The strong registration elsewhere on the note confirms that the press was otherwise calibrated, making the tear itself the sole anomaly within an otherwise perfect production cycle. Read more →

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 States 1902 - 5 Dollars Blue Seal Plain Back National Bank Note - The First National Bank of Youngstown, Ohio Charter 3 (Friedberg 600)

Large‑size National Currency from a single‑digit charter. The First National Bank of Youngstown carried Charter 3, issued at the very start of the National Banking era. Low charter numbers stayed with an institution across redesigns, so CH 3 on a 1902 large‑size note directly links back to the earliest adopters of the 1863 system. Read more →

Uruguay 1939 - Departamento de Emision del Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay 1 Peso Serie A Photographic Proof Pair (Pick Unlisted)

Issued by the Departamento de Emision del Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, this photographic proof pair preserves the completed face and reverse designs of the 1939 one peso Serie A banknote in archival photographic form. The two monochrome impressions document the full visual program of the denomination outside the conventional sequence of engraved proofs, color trials, specimens, and issued notes, recording the design as a coordinated face-and-reverse reference ensemble. Read more →