
United States Notes (characterized by a red seal and serial
number), originally issued in 1862, were the first National
currency. Federal Reserve Notes were not issued until the
creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. Both types of
notes were redeemable in gold until 1933, when the United
States abandoned the gold standard. Since then, both
currencies have served essentially the same purpose, and have
had the same value. Because United States Notes serve no
function that is not already adequately served by Federal
Reserve Notes, their issuance was discontinued, and none have
been placed into circulation since January 21, 1971.
All outstanding United States Notes, which were issued in
denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, and
$1,000, may be redeemed at face value by the U.S. Treasury
Department. Payment would be made in the form of a Treasury
check.
You may purchase U.S. Notes from numismatic dealers who are
usually listed in the classified section of the telephone
directory under the headings of “Numismatics,”
“Currency,” or “Hobbies.” Also, publications for money
collectors such as Bank Note Reporter and Coin World routinely
display advertisements of currencies for sale. These
publications may be found at most reputable newsstands, book
stores, and libraries.