The Port Gibson reveille., 1910-06-02
BANK NOTE mistakes
A Bill That Showed $50 on
One Side and 500 on
the Other.


Gle Sans inspectors in the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing. Perhaps the
most extraordinary misprint that ever
slipped through was a $50 national
bank note. This, it appears, actually
found it's way into circulation.
The manner of its discovery was
odd. A clerk in a Western hotel, in
making up his accounts one day
found a discrepancy he could not ex-
plain. He placed the pile of bills at
his left hand, and as he counted each
one, turned the rote over and de-
kposned it on pile at his right.
He found that when he counted
from left to right his cash balanced
exactly, but when he counted it back
again shortage of $50 was shown.
He consumed two hours in vain en-
deavor to find out what was the mat
ter, and finally was obliged to call on
the manager for assistance.
The manager himself had no bet
ter success. Again and again he
counted the bills, always with the
same result-one time the cash bal
anced and the next the shortage was
developed. Finally each bill was ex-
amined separately, both diverse and
reverse; whereupon the mystified
men discovered the cause of their
trouble. One of the bills had the de-
sign of $50 on the diverse and that
of $100 on the reverse. 1t further ap-
peared that the clerk had received
the bill as $100.
Communication with the Treasury
Department was had and it was found
that that department had a record of
the bill. 1t was discovered in 1890
that one sheet of bank notes printed
for a national bank of Kansas City
had been reversed in the press. One
plate bore the diverse of $50 bill
at the top and the diverse of a $1OO
bill at the bottom. The other plate
bore the reverse of the two notes.
After each had been printed it was
laid aside to dry before being run
through for the diverse printing. In
some way the pressman had turned
one sheet upside down, with the re-
suit that two misprinted bills came
forth-one with a $50 diverse and
$1O0 reverse, the other with $100
diverse and a $50 reverse.
The cashier of the bank was the
first to become aware of the error.
He found that something was wrong
after he had paid out the note with
the $50 face and the S100 back by
coming across the one with the $100
face and the $50 back The note held
by the cashier was returned to the
Treasury and destroyed, a perfee5
note being issued in its stead.
Errors were discovered in the de-
sign of the 1880 silver certificates.
These were more the fault Of the en-
graver than the printer.
On the 1880 notes is found Treas
ury seal entirely different from any
other ever used by the Government.
The key, which is one of the most
important symbols of the seal, shows
a handle at the left hand side instead
of at the right, as on. all others.
The shield is of different shape ana
the stars are larger The two ends
of the band surrounding the symbols
are fastened with a buckle, which IL
no other instance plays part in the
design of a Treasury seal. This is
the only issue of notes on which the
peculiar seal was used, and collec-
tors Of paper money include them
among the errors or freaks.
The 81, 50 and $5 silver certificates
and the SO legal tender bills of the
present issue occur with what are
known as inverted backs. AS mat
ter of fact this is an erroneous deVl-
alton, inasmuch as they are really
inverted fronts. These bills are sought
by collectors, who pay premium for
them when in fine condition.
Another curiosity is 81 note OF
the Second National Bank of Raven
ma. Ohio. This lacks the signatures
of both the president and the cashier
although it was circulated and never
challenged.
A 81 national bank note of the First
National Bank of Fall River, Mass,
also lacks both signatures, which
seems not to have interfered with its
being offered and accepted as money.
Still another 81 note, of the FIRST
National. Bank of Indianapolis, Ind,
lacks the signature of the president
only.
Slight as are these errors or om1s-
sions, they give additional value to
such bills in the eyes OF collectors
of paper. money, who are glad to pay
a premium for them.
It is not known how many of the
bills of the present issue are in cir
cnlation with inverted design but 1t
IS not thought that there are many.
A legal tender note of 1850 shows
an oddity. On the face of the note
is a portrait of Webster, while to
the right is a representation of Rclfe
presenting Pocahontas to Queen Eliza
beth. At the bottom of the centre
IS a small eagle. Upon inverting this
hill the eagle presents faithful re-
semblance to the head of donkey
whether this was intended by the
engraver as a joke is not known, but
the resemblance is so close as to in
dicate generalization on his part
Chicago Tribune.
,tA -~L-4 Erioh+Ane