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Total commemorative banknotes issued is under 1,500 pieces. If you have achieved any figures close to this, then you are doing extremely well, as many of the older commemorative notes are hard to find even in poor conditions.

Opinion: Many collectors of commemorative banknotes would have come across with those Somaliland sets overprinted with gold and silver texts with the following wordings - 5th Anniversary of Independence 18 May 1996 [Sanad Gurade 5ee Gobanimadda 18 May 1996]. I believe these are "home made" (or fake) and not authorised by the central bank. My argument is simple. No central bank would have issued an overprint commemorative banknote that the texts are so large that it would cover the two signatures on the note as well as part of the serial numbers. Even if these are genuine notes, then these could be issued as souvenir sheets and not as legal tender. As I said before, this is my opinion. If you have paid top dollars for these, please think about my argument. There is always a sucker around the corner, including me of course!

All comments are most welcome but it has to be subjects related to banknotes or banknotes collection. If not, it will not be approved. Thanks

04 October 2022

...United States of America - 2000 Millennium Numismatic Products of $1 and $2 Banknotes

The United States of America

Federal Reserve System
Currency : Dollar (USD - Greenback)
 
I believe (and hoping) that these are the two final notes for my 2000 Millennium series of banknotes' collection. I was unaware of these two notes' existence until recently, when a collector alerted me. These two notes were released as numismatic products, just like those issued in England (Debden series), and because of that, the only way to differentiate them is by looking at the letter prefix or the serial numbers. In this series, it is the serial numbers that indicate the notes are Millennium commemorative issues. Apart from the serial number, there are no alterations or overprints added to these commemorative notes. Both notes came from the last prints prior to the year 2000, and all notes printed with the serial number, with the first four digits starting as 2000xxxx i.e. Year 2000. I have no information as to how many of these were put together or the initial selling price for each set.
 
I am also aware that the Federal Reserve had also issued at least one issue of $1 for the celebration of the new millennium 2001 celebration. This folder note was released to celebrate the first series of the new millennium - One Dollar Millennium Note 2001 in a folder, and for this reason, I have excluded this from the millennium series, as this note was issued to celebrate the first print of the new millennium. The last print for the $1 was dated 1999 prior to the millennium year, and only in 2001, a reprint was issued with the year date 2001. 
 
One Dollar (Atlanta F series)
United States of America's first President, George Washington (b.1732-1799)
 
Front - On the front is the portrait of The United States of America's first President, George Washington (b.1732-1799). He served as the President from 1789 to 1797, and died two years after he left office at the age of 67 year old. At the time of his presidency, there were only 13 States that were made up of the USA - Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. As you can see, all these former British colonies are located on the east coast of the USA. The population of these 13 States combined at that time was just under 4 million people.

The design for this $1 was first adopted in 1963, and has not changed (I believe) since then.

Signatures
Treasurer of the United States - Mary Ellen Withrow (tenure 1994-2001)
Secretary of the Treasury - Lawrence Henry Summers (tenure 1999-2001)
Dimensions - 156mm x 67mm

Back - On the back, are the two sides of The United States Great Seal. It is strange to say that there are two sides to an official Seal! On the left is the Seal with the image of a Pyramid with an Eye on top. This eye is known as the eye of providence or the eye of god. Some people referred to this as the creepy eye. On the right of the note is the reverse side of the Seal with the main image of an American bald eagle holding an olive branch in its right claw, and 13 arrows on the other. The Seal is mainly used for authentication of federal government's documents. 
 
The Great Seal of the United States of America
 
In addition to this $1 note, this product also comes with 2 other $1 coins both minted in 2000. I am not sure if this was the only version for this issue, or if there are others that are only released with the banknote, and not with the coins.

Folder Front cover

Obverse - Two $1 coins of golden colour and 1 oz fine silver

Reverse - 2 x $1 coins
 
Inside cover

Two Dollars (Star Replacement)
3rd President Thomas Jefferson (b.1743-1826)
 
Front - The design for this note was first introduced in 1976 as a commemorative note, when the country celebrated 200 years of independence from the British. Technically, the bicentenary celebration should only apply to the original 13 States as mentioned earlier, as the remaining 37 States only joined the United States of America later. On the front is the portrait of President Thomas Jefferson (b.1743-1826). He was the third President from 1801 to 1809. Prior to that, he was the second Vice President serving under John Adams (tenure 1797-1801), and before that, the first Secretary of State serving under George Washington. He was also one of the Founding Fathers of the USA, including George Washington. In case you wonder, there are seven main Founding Fathers of The United States of America.

Signatures
Treasurer of the United States - Mary Ellen Withrow (tenure 1994-2001)
Secretary of the Treasury - Robert Edward Rubin (tenure 1995-1999)
Dimensions - 156mm x 67mm
 
Back - On the back is a painting of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull (b.1756-1843). The document was signed on 02.08.1776 at Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) by 56 representatives of the newly formed nation. Prior to that, on 02.07.1776, Continental Congress voted (9 against 2, with the remaining 2 did not vote) in favour of Independence, and formally adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, and as such Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July, and not the 2nd. The official signing for independence was not done until 02.08.1776. The painting was commissioned in 1817, and completed in 1818, featuring Thomas Jefferson placing the declaration document before the president of the Congress, John Hancock (sitting, b.1737-1793). Standing to Thomas Jefferson's left is Benjamin Franklin (b.1706-1790). To his right are Robert Lucian Livingston (b.1746-1813), Roger Sherman (b.1721-1793), and John Adams (Second President, b.1735-1826). George Washington was not at the signing of the Declaration of Independence as he was in New York at that time.
 
Interesting facts here. Two of the main Founding Fathers died on Independence Day 4th of July in the same year. Both John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson died on that day in 1826. Another Founding Father, James Monroe died on 04.07.1831. He was the fifth President serving from 1817 to 1825. He was born in 1758, and was only 18 years old when the country got independence.
 
Signing of the Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull (b.1756-1843)

Folder Front cover

Insider Folder

According to the information printed on the $2 folder (as above), this $2 is a limited edition, and this is what it has stated on the folder.

Millennium Note

In celebration of the new Millennium, the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing proudly presents a unique Series 1995 $2 note that begins with the serial number 2000.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Fort Worth, Texas produced 153.6 million Series 1995 $2 notes for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta during the fiscal years of 1996 and 1997. These notes were printed for general circulation. At that time, there were no Series 1995 $2 notes produced for the other 11 Federal Reserve Banks. This Millennium Note is unique because no more than 9,999 Series 1995 $2 notes exist for any Federal Reserve Bank, except Atlanta.

As English is not my strongest subject, does that mean that there should be no more than 109,989 pieces (9,999 x 11) of $2 Series 1995 $2 for the entire series, except Atlanta?
 
Footnote
As you would have known, there are 12 Federal Reserve Banks in the USA, each using their own letter alphabet starting from Letter A to L. I believed all 12 Federal Reserve banks issued these Millennium notes celebration, and I am also aware that a full set of 12 notes for the $2 were all sold in a folder too. However, I am not sure if they have released all 12 notes for the $1 in one folder. It would be great to have them, but it will be hard as I believe that they are expensive to acquire for all 12 notes, unless you have bought them from the Federal Reserve when it was first released. It is also believed that only up to 9,999 pieces were issued for the 1995 $2 series for each of the Federal Reserve Bank, except for Atlanta (Letter F6 series) prints, thus making them very desirable to collectors, even just for the normal issues. The 1995 $2 was the last print for the last millennium, and was not reprinted until 2003. The 1995 $2 note posted here came from the star replacement series. The $2 Millennium was also sold in full set (all 12 notes) in a folder.
 
Information from the folder of the $2 Millennium 12 notes full set

I understand that the US $2 is not a common banknote circulating in the country, and as such is not widely circulated. I also believed that there are many people in the USA who may not be even aware of the existence of such denominations too. The $2 note used to be called Dirty Tom for various reasons, but I am not sure if this nickname still stands today.
 

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