Detail from the obverse of the United States $1 silver certificate, issued in 1896. (Photo: National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution on Wikipedia)
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This image is a detail of an 1896 United States $1 note from the Educational Series of silver certificates issued by the United States Treasury in 1896. It is widely regarded as the most beautifully designed money in U.S. history.
Below is the full face of the $1 note, and the stunning $2 note from the Educational Series.
The $1 note, with artwork by Will H. Low. (Photo: National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution)
From Atlas Obscura:
In an effort to bring more artistic merit to the silver certificate, the (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) approached Edwin Blashfield, Will H. Low, and Walter Shirlaw, three artists known for their elegant allegorical paintings. As muralists, Blashfield and Low were accustomed to working at a much larger scale than the 3.125-by-7.4218-inch dimensions of a silver certificate. But the painters’ flair for eye-pleasing composition and their ability to translate principles of national character into gorgeous tableaus of women in flowing robes was paramount. They were encouraged to submit large paintings, which a team of skilled engravers could then translate to currency-compatible format. According to the aforementioned Times article, 15 to 20 engravers worked on each note, each one assigned to a particular section of the design.
The resulting three artworks formed the basis for the $1, $2, and $5 silver certificates that came to be known as the 1896 Educational Series.
“OBJECT OF INTRIGUE: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BANKNOTE IN U.S. HISTORY” [Atlas Obscura]
The $2 note, with artwork by Edwin Blashfield. (Photo: National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution)
