Description and research notes
This 1976 Bicentennial Issue 2 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Richmond District (Friedberg 1935-E*, E* Block) is a scarce Star Replacement note—printed as a substitute for a defective sheet during production at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Certified PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, it combines the technical rarity of a replacement issue with the historical resonance of America’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration.
The Bicentennial of 1976 marked two hundred years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the United States launched an unprecedented year-long national celebration. Every federal agency participated in some form, and the Treasury Department’s contribution was the revival of the $2 denomination, dormant for a decade. Reintroduced on April 13 1976—Thomas Jefferson’s birthday—the new note was released with an entirely re-engraved reverse featuring John Trumbull’s 1818 painting *The Signing of the Declaration of Independence*. It was designed to link the nation’s modern identity to its revolutionary origins, making it the first and only circulating paper-money commemorative ever issued by the United States.
Across the country, citizens could purchase fresh notes and have them postmarked with April 13, creating the popular “First Day of Issue” souvenirs. Although hundreds of millions of $2s were printed, Star Replacement notes were produced in much smaller quantities and were seldom available to the public in the same way. Most were reserved for internal distribution to banks to maintain sequential counts, making them noticeably harder to find in true Uncirculated condition.
This Richmond-district example, serial number E00394803★, exhibits bold color, crisp paper texture, and sharp margins. The green Treasury seal and deep intaglio impression stand out vividly against the clean white stock. PMG’s EPQ (Exceptional Paper Quality) designation confirms its originality—free of pressing or handling. As part of the Bicentennial Issue, it represents both technical precision and national symbolism: a rare corrective note born within a celebratory print run, uniting numismatic craftsmanship with the spirit of America’s 200th anniversary.