Description and research notes
This uncut four-note sheet of 1976 2 Dollars Federal Reserve Notes (Friedberg 1935-E, EA Block) from the Richmond District represents one of the most striking large-format presentations of the United States Bicentennial Issue. Certified PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, it comprises consecutive notes E99821624B through E99896624B, preserved exactly as they left the Bureau of Engraving and Printing press during the nation’s 200th-anniversary year.
The 1976 Bicentennial program commemorated two hundred years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Every federal agency participated, and the Treasury Department chose to revive the long-dormant $2 denomination as its contribution. The reissue was unveiled on April 13 1976—Thomas Jefferson’s birthday—and quickly became the centerpiece of the Bicentennial celebration. It was the first and only circulating paper-money commemorative ever produced by the United States, designed so that every citizen could hold an affordable keepsake of the country’s 200th birthday.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing also offered a limited number of **uncut sheets** of $2 notes directly to the public. These sheets were sold as souvenirs rather than for circulation, allowing collectors to experience the artistry of the BEP’s engraving without the usual machine cutting and stacking that separated individual notes. Each full sheet preserved the exact plate layout and margin structure used on the production presses, capturing the mechanical precision of modern currency printing.
The design itself embodies the purpose of the Bicentennial celebration: the obverse features Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, while the reverse showcases John Trumbull’s 1818 painting *The Signing of the Declaration of Independence*, newly engraved in intaglio for this issue. The shift from the older red-seal Legal Tender format to the modern green-seal Federal Reserve Note symbolized the nation’s progress from its revolutionary past to its contemporary identity.
Graded PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, this four-note uncut sheet displays full paper originality, sharp corners, and deep embossing. It remains a visually impressive reminder of the United States Bicentennial—an event that combined art, history, and national pride in one of the most recognizable notes ever produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.