United States Note

E22521

A United States Note was a form of U.S. government-issued paper currency, distinct from Federal Reserve Notes, that circulated as legal tender from the 19th century until its phase-out in the late 20th century.

Aliases (3)

Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf form of paper currency
legal tender
alsoKnownAs Legal Tender Note
U.S. Note
authorizingLegislation Legal Tender Act of 1862
subsequent Legal Tender Acts during the Civil War
backing credit of the United States government
circulationForm large-size notes (pre-1928)
small-size notes (post-1928)
circulationPeriodEnd late 20th century
circulationPeriodStart 1862
collectibility sought by numismatists
colorOfSeal red Treasury seal on small-size notes
country United States of America
denominationType fixed-denomination currency
designFeature elaborate engravings and guilloché patterns
portraits of prominent American statesmen
distinctFrom Federal Reserve Note
Gold Certificate
Silver Certificate
Treasury Note of 1890
faceValueUnit United States dollar
finalIssueDenomination 100-dollar note
2-dollar note
5-dollar note
finalPrintingYear 1969
finalSeriesYear 1966
firstIssueYear 1862
governance issued directly by the U.S. Treasury rather than the Federal Reserve System
governingLaw United States Code Title 31 provisions on United States currency
historicalSignificance first widely circulating fiat paper money issued by the U.S. government
introducedInPeriod American Civil War
issuer United States Department of the Treasury
issuingAuthorityText United States of America will pay to the bearer on demand
largeSizeIssuesPeriodEnd 1928
legalTenderStatus legal tender for all debts public and private
maximumAuthorizedAmount 346,681,016 dollars
maximumAuthorizedAmountSetBy Congress of the United States
monetaryRole component of the U.S. money supply in the 19th and 20th centuries
obverseText This note is a legal tender for all debts public and private
United States Note
purpose to finance the Union government during the Civil War
redeemability not originally redeemable in specie
redeemabilityChange made redeemable in coin after the Resumption Act of 1875
replacedInPracticeBy Federal Reserve Notes
serialNumberColor red serial numbers on small-size notes
smallSizeIssuesStart 1928
statusAfterPhaseOut no longer issued
remains legal tender

Referenced by (7)

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