Series 1953 $5 Silver Certificate Star Replacement Note (Priest / Humphrey) – Blue Seal – Fr. 1655*

Item Overview

• Denomination: $5.00 ("Five Dollars in Silver Payable to the Bearer on Demand")

• Currency Type: Small-Size U.S. Silver Certificate (Blue Treasury Seal & Blue Serials with Star Prefix)

• Series: Series 1953 (Plain)

• Catalog Reference: Friedberg # 1655* (Fr. 1655* / Star Replacement Note)

• Serial Number: * 09258472 A

• Signatures / Officials:

  • Ivy Baker Priest (Treasurer of the United States)

  • George M. Humphrey (Secretary of the Treasury)

• Plate Position / Identifiers:

  • Check Letter & Quadrant: M (lower left quadrant)

  • Face Plate Number: M 10 (lower right)

  • Back Plate Number: 2267 (inscribed in the upper-right scroll border above the Lincoln Memorial)

• Design & Vignettes:

  • Obverse Portrait: Abraham Lincoln centered in an oval frame, flanked on the left by the blue denomination numeral "5".

  • Reverse Vignette: The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., without the national motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" (standard for Series 1953).

Scarcity & Series Context

• Companion Note: This note is from the exact same Series 1953 (Plain) Priest/Humphrey print run as your previous * 06095361 A note, but shows considerably heavier commercial circulation.

• Star Replacement Purpose: Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) to replace damaged sheets discovered during final quality inspection. Total star run for Series 1953 was 17,520,000 notes.

Condition & Visual Grade

• Assigned Technical Grade: Very Good (VG 8 – VG 10)

• Preservation Characteristics:

  • Heavy, honest period circulation with substantial paper softening throughout.

  • Dense network of handling creases, vertical wallet folds, and a prominent horizontal fold line.

  • Noticeable handling toning and grime buildup embedded along the crease lines and outer borders.

  • Border Integrity: Edge softening and minor micro-splits/roughness along the margin perimeters (evident at the top and bottom center fold intersections), but retains all four corners without major paper chunk loss.

  • Blue overprint elements (Treasury seal, serial numbers, and numeral 5) remain fully legible and identifiable.