Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-22
NEW SILVER CERTIFICATE
or the Denomination of al to BE tssue
shortly by the Treasury Bepartineut.

or the Denomination of III to Re tssued
shortly by the Treasury department.
Dlekman's u. :. Treasury Counterfeit Defector.
The Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing will shortly issue the new 81 silver
certificate, the design Of which is very
attractive. In appearance it is the
exact opposite of tho steel engravingk
that in recent years have been made
to do service for currency. The new
certificates will display Il large pro-
portion of white paper, and for that
reason may be expected to give the
counterfeiters moro trouble than any Of
the previous issues of silver certificates.
1t has long been known that the least
engraved work on note made the
greatest security against counterfeit
ing. but with the exception Of the gold
certificates and the currency certifi-
Gates, the government has failed to act
upon this knowledge. 1t has seemed
an anomaly that the notes which were
exclusively used by the banks, or
nearly so, were most securely guarded
against the counterfeiters' arts, while
the notes which circulated widely
among the people were SO plastered all
over with printing that counterfeiters
thrived on Initiating them.
Now the government is to furnish
note intended for popular use that viii
be both handsome in appearance and
yet reasonably safe against counterfeit
ing. The central design on the face of
the motto is an American eagle, with
wings partly spread, clutching the flag
with the dome of the Capitol in the
background. Below the platform on
which the eagle stands are small por-
traits of Lincoln and Grant, set in
.1,ll
are on each corner of the note and on
the sides. The space between the CEN
tral device and the lathe work at the
ends is clear white paper, except for
the imprint of the seal in one space
and the denomination of the note
in another. The seal upon the silver
certificates will be in blue, and the
| figures in the open space will be in
the same ink. The reverse side of the
note CORES Londs to the face in respect
| to the large display of white paper
without printing or lathe work. Large
| plain figures appear in each corner and
| scrolls make up an attractive border,
but tho only remaining space upon
which printing appears is in the centre
where, the usual language regarding
| the qualities Of the note as a tender
for public dues is set forth and tho
| penalty for counterfeiting. This de-
| scription suggests a unique design in
| government notes.
| Aside from this important reform in
our currency the Treasury Department
has decided upon policy which will
render note raising impossible except
where people are entirely ignorant of
the appearance of our currency. 1t has
| been decided that all notes Of the
l pafi xyhafhar
certificates, old legal tender notes, or
Sherman Treasury notes, shall bear the
same design, the only distinction being
in the wording and in the color of the
seal. There will, therefore, be only
five forms of notes in denominations
| of $50 and under. When the people be-
come accustomed to the appearance
| of the notes of different denominations,
| no one of ordinary intelligence who
has the use of his eyesight can be de-
ceived into taking 81 note for q 800.
| Very few people ever notice whether
note is silver certificate or Treas
ury note, and do not care anything
about it, but everybody does want to
know what the denomination is of a
note which he receives or pays out.
The distinguishing features Of or notes
| therefore should have reference to
\ their denominations and not to the
special act of Congress authorizing
their issue. Secretary Gage having
been practical bunker recognized this,
and has put every handler of money
under obligation to him for affording
them the necessary protection against
the raising" of notes. The departmsnJ
contemplates extending the system Of
uniformity to notes Of higher denomina-
| tons,