The first Silver Certificates were printed in 1878 in response to Western silver-mining interests, who were unhappy about the U.S. gold standard. They wanted silver coins, but they got the next best thing—bills redeemable in silver stored in government vaults.

The late 19th-century Silver Certificates are some of the most beautiful bank notes ever produced by the U.S. government. The so-called educational notes are particularly handsome. They include a $1 bill from 1896 with "History Instructing Youth" on the front and portraits of Martha and George Washington on the back, as well as a $2 bill from the same year with "Science Presenting Steam and Electricity to Science and Industry" on the front and portraits of inventors Robert Fulton and Samuel Morse on the back.

In 1899 the popular "Chief Onepapa" $5 was produced followed by a hiatus until 1923, when a $5 Lincoln was issued. In 1928, Silver Certificates shrunk in size a bit like all U.S. currency, and Silver Certificates were printed until 1935. In the 1940s and 1950s, most bills were taken out of circulation and shredded. The bill was briefly revived in 1957, but by 1964 the redemption of Silver Certificates for actual silver had ended.

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1896 $2 Silver Certificate Ed Note Almost Uncirculated1899 $5 ~ Chief ~ Pcgs 63"ppq" Stunning Note !Fr#268: 1896 $5 Ed Silver Certificate It's A Keeper!1899 $1 Eagle Silver Certificate Serial Number 555 Pcgs Gem 65Fr#224: 1896 $1 Ed Silver Certificate Great Companion Note!1896 $1 Silver Certificate Education Note Extra Fine+Silver Certificate $1 1896 Educational Pmg Graded Vf 301896 $5 Silver Certificate "educational" F Details Must See!!!!!Series 1899 $5 Chief Running Antelope Oncpapa Silver Certificate Bill Note - A1886 $1 Silver Certificate Martha Extra Fine+King Of Notes $1 Educational 1896 Silver Certificate Pmg Vf 20Fr 282 1923 Lincoln Porthole $5 Silver Certificate (private Collection)Fr#217: 1886 $1 "martha" Silver Certificate Gorgeous!1896 $5 Silver Ceritificate Educational Series Well Circulated Fr#268$2 Silver Certificate,1899, Fr#253 Napier/mcclung Pmg Choice Very Fine 30!Hgr 1899 $1 Scarce Date Below ""vernon/treat"" Pmg Unc 62epq1898 Series United States $2 Two Dollars Silver Certificate1899 $1 Silver Certificate Superb Gem Unc1899 $5.00 Indian Chief Onepapa Silver Certificate G-vg1899 $2 Silver Certificate Pcgs Graded Very Fine 25 - Fr. 2511899 $5 Indian Chief Pmg F12 Silver Certificate! Fr.281 Scarce Five Dollar Note!Fr#258: 1899 $2 "mini Porthole" Bright, Strong NoteFr248 1896 $2.00 "education" Note 1896 $1, Number 224, Tillman-morgan Signatures In Fine Condition.$1.00 1934 Funny Back Blue Seal Silver Certificate Pmg Gem New 66epqSilver Certificate $1 1957's & 1935's Group Of 100 Notes Vg-fine Most Are 57'sFr 238 Star Note, First Of Consecutive Pair. Pccs 58Silver Certificate $1 1957's & 1935's Group Of 100 Notes Low Grade Most Are 57's1891 $2 Silver Certificate1 Dollar Educational Note$5 Series 1886 Silver Dollar Back Silver Certificate No ReserveSilver Certificate $1 1957's & 1935's Group Of 100 Notes Low Grade Most Are 57's1934 A Silver Certificate North Africa Cga Unc 64 Emergency Note1896 $1 Fr-224 Silver "educational" Very Fine,cga 351899 $2.00 Silver Certificate U.s Currency Old U.s Paper Money Wow Rare Note !! 1896 $1 Educational Note Silver Certificate Fr 225 Very Good/fine Condition 100 Silver Certificate $1 Paper Currency Notes Various Conditions 1957 & 1935 1928 $1 Silver Certificate - Low Serial Number Lucky #131886 $1 Martha Washington Large Size Silver CertificateScarce 1891 Windom $2.00 Silver Certificate *uc* 1934c $10 Silver Certificate Note!!! Pmg Gem Unc 65 Epq1896 Series United States $1 Dollar Silver Certificate Fr#225 Educational Note$1 1886 Silver Certificate Fr 215 Martha Ornate Back 3 Day No Reserve Auction NrFr 238 Star Note, 2nd Of Consecutive Pair. Pccs 631899 Black Eagle $1 One Dollar Bill Silver Certificate Large Note F-2301899 $2 Lg Silver Certificate "pmg Very Fine 25 Net" *fr#256* (teehee/burke)Tcs 1934 "c" $10 Silver Certificate ***gem Uncirculated*** Gorgeous Gem$1 1957 "mismatched Serial Numbers" Silver Cert. Rare Error Note No Reserve Bids1899 $5 Silver Certificate Oncpapa Indian Chief Vf 1899 United States Silver Certificate $5 Large - Vf1899 United States Silver Certificate $1 Large - Ef2 Dollars Silver Certificate CounterfeitSeries 1899 U.s. Large Size $2.00 Silver Certificate$2.00 1886 Fr. 240 General Hancock Silver Certificate Average Circulated1923 $1 Fr-237 Silver Gem Unc,cga 66 Opq (1st Of 4 Consecutive)1923 $1 Fr-237 Silver Gem Unc,cga 65 Opq (2nd Of 4 Consecutive)1957 Lot Of 50 Blue Seal $1 One Dollar Bills Silver Certificate NotesSeries 1899 Black Eagle $1 Silver Certificate Fr# 235 Pmg Cvf30net *no Reserve*1896 $1 Silver Certificate Educational Note*uc* 1934 $1 C A Block Funnyback Silver Certificate!!! Pmg Choice Unc 64 Epq

Recent News: US Silver Certificates

Source: Google News

PMG-Certified Note Sells for Record $2.6 Million
CoinWeek, June 18th

The Series 1891 $1,000 Silver Certificate features a portrait of William L. Marcy, who served as a U.S. Senator, governor of New York, Secretary of War and Secretary of State in the early-to-mid 19th century. Marcy is also well known for his quote “to...Read more

Note Sells for $2.6 Million
NumisMaster.com, June 18th

A record price of $2.6 million was achieved by Stack's Bowers Galleries when the firm sold a Series 1891 $1,000 Silver Certificate graded Very Fine 25 by PMG. The note depicts William L. Marcy, a senator, governor and Cabinet member famous in American ...Read more

Irvine auctioneer: Rare currency sold for $2.6 million
OCRegister (subscription), June 15th

That's how much an anonymous buyer recently paid for a rare silver certificate, one of only two known to exist, according to Irvine-based auctioneer Stack's Bowers Galleries which arranged the deal. Article Tab: The front of the rare 1891 $1,000...Read more

1891 $1000 Marcy Silver Certificate Sold for Record $2.6 Million
CoinNews.net, June 13th

An 1891 $1,000 Marcy Silver Certificate sold Wednesday, June 12, for a new world record price of $2.6 million, Stack's Bowers Galleries has announced. 1891 $1,000 Marcy Silver Certificate - Front. 1891 $1,000 Marcy Silver Certificate – Front. Graded...Read more

Old Silver Certificate From 1891 Sells For $2.6 Million; 1 Of 2 In Existence ...
Huffington Post, June 13th

IRVINE, Calif. -- A silver certificate worth $1,000 when it was printed in 1891 has sold at auction in Southern California for $2.6 million. Stack's Bowers Galleries of Irvine says the certificate is one of only two of its kind still in existence. The...Read more

$1000 silver certificate from 1891 sells for $2.6 million at US auction
Windsor Star, June 12th

IRVINE, Calif. - A silver certificate worth $1,000 when it was printed in 1891 has sold at auction in California for $2.6 million. Stack's Bowers Galleries says the certificate is one of only two of its kind still in existence. The other is on display...Read more

Big Dollars For a Silver Certificate
Yahoo! News, June 12th

Would you spend $2.6 million to get a certificate for $1,000? A rare, century-old silver certificate bearing the likeness of one William L. Marcy was just sold to an anonymous buyer for that lofty sum, which auctioneers at Stack's Bowers Galleries say...Read more

Stack's Bowers Galleries Sells 1891 $1000 Marcy Silver Certificate for $2.6 ...
DailyFinance, June 11th

The holdings are comprised of different varieties and highlighted by the $1000 Series of the 1891 Silver Certificate graded Very Fine 25 by PMG depicting William L. Marcy, a senator, governor and Cabinet member famous in American history. Only two...Read more