Set of Silver Certificates - 1957 and 1957 Star Note

Silver Certificate bank notes once circulated alongside other types of currency such as Federal Reserve Notes. Each Silver Certificate was backed by its face value in Silver Dollars or silver bullion in the United States Treasury, and holders of the notes could actually exchange them for the silver. The last Silver Certificate ever issued was the Series of 1957 $1 Silver Certificate. Unlike todays Federal Reserve Notes that have green Treasury seals and serial numbers, Silver Certificates have distinctive blue Treasury seals and blue serial numbers. Silver Certificates were last redeemable for silver in 1968, but they remain legal tender. Most of these historic $1 Silver Certificates were worn out or destroyed in circulation half a century ago or more. If redeemed at a bank today, Silver Certificates are destroyed by the government. As a result, very few exist in any condition. Like modern $1 bills, the $1 Silver Certificate features the familiar portrait of George Washington by artist Gilbert Stuart. This collection includes a regular Series of 1957 $1 Silver Certificate and a Star note from the same series for a fascinating set. Star notes are much scarcer than regular notes. They replaced defective notes in the printing process. Very few star notes were ever issued, so they are always prized by collectors. To identify the note as being special, the serial number starts with a star (*) instead of a letter. Like the regular notes, a Star note is legal tender. These notes have not been seen in circulation for over half a century, and they are rarely seen in a matching set like this. The notes are displayed in a custom wallet with fascinating information about the design and the importance of the star in the serial number.