Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-20
Distinctive Portrait for Each New Bank Note

200 plates in the printing of the national
bank notes. whereas IL, 600 plates are now
required to do the work.
At present there are nineteen miscel-
ianeous portrait and historical designs
appearing upon the issues in use. These
various designs serve no useful purpose
IN Identifying the denominations of notes
with the designs they bear, nor have they
been selected according to any scheme OF
historic balance. The following are some
Of the examples that tend to confusion
The central figure on the one-dollar GER
tifcate is an American eagle. with the
Capitol In tthe background while below
are small vtgnettes of both Abraham Lin
yer certificate bears the head of the Sioux
Indian chief "Onepapa": the central fig
ure on a five-dollar United States note is
woodsman armed with AK and rifle. ap-
parently protecting his wife and child,
and as an additional establishment q
vignette of Andrew Jackson is placed in
the lower left-hand corner. while on the
hve-dollar national bank note is a por-
trait OF BENJAMIN Harrison. with the
landing of the Pilgrims on the reverse,
The ten-dollar denominations show equal
CONFUSION. On the gold certificate il the
portrait Of Michael Hillegas: on the ten
doliar United states note the central fig
ure Is buffalo, flanked by small Wig
nettes of Lewis and Clark, while on the
national bank note is a portrait of VIII
nam Mckinley, with female figure and
SHIPS on the reverse.
Under the Secretary's scheme it is pro-
poseo that the nineteen miscellaneous de-
signs now In use be reduced and systema
tized SO that there will be similarity Of
design for each Of the nine denomina-
tons. each to be characterized by a dis
tmctive portrait, selected with some ref
erence to the importance and position of
their subjects in American history. For
example. the one-dollar note might bear
the portrait OF Washington as the eman-
clpator OF the country and the founder of
It's government: the two-dollar note tina 4
OF another famous American, and SO on
Tor all the separate denominations.
me Secretary has considered the ad-
visibility of having the following Dor
traits placed on the several denomina-
tons: One-dollar. Washington: two-doIlar
Jefferson: five-dollar. Lincoln; ten-dollar.
lever Saeveiand; twenty-dollar. Jackson; fifty
dollar, Grant: OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Frank
I'm; NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Chase, and one
thousand-dollar, Hamilton.
ouch portraits as may be finally decid-
ed upon VIII be engraved in the center of
the face of the note, the same portrait
being used on the same denomination
or the four different kinds of notes.. e.,
United states notes. gold and silver GER
tlncates and the national bank currency.
This Will enable one to determine by the
portrait the value of the note, making it
simple matter to become SO familiar
with the portraits that distinguish the
respective denominations that they will
be unconsciously photographed on the
mind. and be synonymous with the fig
ures indicating the denominations of the
notes. For example, the portrait of Lin
coin on note would indicate that its
denomination is s.. Cashiers of banks
and persons in financial institutions who
are continually handling great quantities
of money. as we'll as the general public,
of these portraits and would readily de-
tect counterfeits or notes that have been
raised by changing the figures. A we'll
engraved portrait is the best safeguard
clearly shown that It n Impossible fer
the most expert engrayer to reproduce m