Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23
simplifcation of Paper Currency of
the United States.
The ENGRAVING NOT 50 ELABORATE
Handsome Designs Being Prepared
for Series of 1899.
SMALL BILLS COMPLETED

With the recent issuance of the new and
modestly designed silver certificates of 81
ana y denominations a simplifcatien of
the paper currency of the United States
was inaugurated. This reform will apply
to the style Of engraving upon the notes,
which in future will not be so elaborate
and massive but marifestly more intricate
and delicate. 1t will also affect the classes
OF notes In existence. Whereas in the past
each new issue of treasury notes. silver
certificates and gold notes, collectively. hi
called for twenty-seven separate and dis
tlnct designs it Is the present plan of the
treasury Department and the bureau of
engraving and printing to have nine de-
signs suffice. The same design will be used
for common denomination in all three
classes Of notes enumerated. The national
bank notes will remain the same as at
present
Inc simplification process will first apply
TO the silver certificates. There will be nine
denominations. ranging from the 81 note to
$1,000. The two smaller bills the 81 and 81,
have been issued. The s. design is in the
hands or the engravers and is nearing COM
pletion. while the $40 design has been ap-
proved In most Of Its details. The $40, $50,
500, $500 and 81 1000 will come in their reg
ular order but 1t will probably be some
years before the issue is thoroughly
plete.
treasury and Gold Notes.
The same designs used for the silver GER
tihcates will in turn be employed In the is
suance Of treasury notes and United States
notes. the wording being changed in each
instance to suit the character of the gov
eminent obligation. of course Another
distinguishing feature will be the difference
In color Of the treasury seal; that the
silver certificate being blue. with brown
and red. probably. for the treasury and
United States notes. This distinguishing
mark, 1t Is said, will prove of great value
to bankers and others who have the hand
ling of large amounts of money When the
rev series is completed and in circulation
the notes of different characters may be
sorted without difficulty and with great
rapidity by means of these vari-colored
seals.
1t is believed this plan will meet the ap-
proba ton of the bankers as well as the
public. The smallness in the variety of de-
signs will make the notes easier of
counterfeiting. Rather the contrary, for with
fewer plates to be made, more time and
care may be given to the intricateness of
the wonderful lathe work and delicate
lines of engraving, although it would seem
the maximum of bewldering detail had al
ready been reached. Another safeguard is
the policy of the administration of the
treasury and the bureau TO leave exposed
as much as possible of the surface of the
S:lk-tiber paper, which is the battling fea-
ture of all counterfeit work. The use of a
minimum of ink on the notes is also in line
with the desire of the bankers and mer-
chants, who had much trouble with the last
issue but the present, in which practically
the entire surface of the note was COW
cred. This was the cause of much diff
Guilty and annoyance i'll handling. the
money being bulky and inclined to cling to-
Sether.
ArtisticalIy COnsidered.
From an artistic standpoint the limit
iiAed to the amount of ink TO be used upon
the notes has a decidedly Objectionable
side. in that the designer Is necessarily
compelled to work within very narrow
lines in the endeavor to make the paper
currency pleasing to the eye. Despite this
fact, however, the designers of the series
now we'll under way have evolved far
an exceptionally handsome set of notes, ali
of which will have unmistakable and popu-
lar characteristics. 1t has been the aim TO
use the lathe work. delicate and difficult
of imitation to large extent, and to work
it together in carrying out the design of
the note, rather than have it placed here
and there in splotctes as in issues of past
years The result so far has been very
gratifying. The manipulation of the lat hing
machine has much to do with the success
of the notes under such circumstances, as
he is instructed only to the general plan
and is allowed to work cut his own geo.
metricai arrangements and styles.
The new issue is being prepared by the
bureau of engraving and printing The de-
tails and designs, after being carefully
prepared, are submitted 10 lllt secretary Oh
the Treasury. Each note in the new Sc
ries, to be known as the series Of 1899, will
be distinctive from a representation of
some prominent person or object as the
central figure of the face. In the new 81
silver certificates the central figure is an
eagle with spreading wings. This note
might be commonly referred to as the
Eagle note In the - certificate it is
observed that George Washington is the
central figure. hence a popular designation
of this denomination as the washington
note"
Five-DOIIar Certificate.
In the new IS certificate which is now in
the process of engraving, the central figure
of the face will be a magnificent type of
the red man. clothed in all the regatta of a
chief of tribe. This will probably in time
become Familiarity known as the Indian
note" The new certificate is quite hand
some. The large counter. ~ with the
word Five arched through on the face
is to be printed in the color of blue
used in the treasury seal. This will hold
good throughout the series, and is another
distinctive mark. A border the face is
of delicate and admirable lathe-work de-
sign
The back of the SO certificates which. of
course, is to be printed in green, contains a
scroll border with lathe work as a back
ground. In the center is a leaf of lathe
work. on which is a large white ~" The
background support of the leaf is a shield
vi the eSpOSeu poTtioiS VI winch are con-
tanned, in delicate white-faced letters the
customary notice as to the character of
obligations in payment of which the note is
acceptable. In the two upper corners are
great figure counters, the 80 in both in
stances being Incorporated in the scroll de-
sign, rather than placed plainly upon a
batch of lathe work, as has often been the
case in former issues. Delicate and intri-
cate characterization and lathe work com
plete the back, two large blank spaces be-
ing left on either side of the leaf and
shield center.
When there is no necessity for rush. il
requires about six months to COMPLETELY
engrave a design and prepare the multi
fold plates for the presses The 81 design
has been in hand some time now, and the
various portions of the engraving work
will be assembled shortly and completed
Another Denomination.
The model for the new $40 silver certifi-
cate is about completed. The face of the
note carries out the plan of distinctive
central design. A battle ship of modern
type under full. Roadway is prominently
displayed in position. Around the face is