Fr. 138 (W-2011). 1880 $20 Legal Tender Note. PCGS Superb Gem New 67 PPQ.

Fr. 138 (W-2011). 1880 $20 Legal Tender Note. PCGS Superb Gem New 67 PPQ.，This incredibly well preserved 1880 $20 Legal Tender note is the finest graded by either certification service, not only for the variety but also for the design and seal type. The creamy white paper is original and offers a magnificent canvas for this striking design type, here printed in bold detail. Broad even margins provide the perfect frame to the design, which features a side profile of Alexander Hamilton at left and Liberty at right standing with sword and shield. Large Brown Seal types are always popular with collectors and this variety in any grade always attracts attention.<p>With the Anderson note we have the finest of the fine, the rarest of the rare-a first-class numismatic treasure!<p><p><strong>$20 Legal Tender Notes, Series of 1880</strong><p>This series continues the motifs introduced on the "Rainbow" notes of 1869, with the popular portrait of Hamilton, profile view, to the left, and with helmeted Liberty to the right. <p>We estimate that about 956,000 were printed. We have not been able to find notice of a single numismatist collecting large-size notes at the time, so the survival of examples is a matter of rare chance. We estimate that fewer than 75 survive today, most of which show extensive wear.<p>This variety is of Back Style 2: No mention of the Columbian Bank Note Co. In that space in three lines is "PRINTED AT THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING & PRINTING" / WASHINGTON / D.C." with the bottom two imprints being the same as on Back Style 1. "SERIES OF 1880" is in a curved line at the bottom of the large open space at the right side. <p>The signatures are of Rosecrans and Huston, in office together from 1889 to 1891. The large brown Treasury Seal is distinctive, as noted above.，From the Joel R. Anderson Collection of United States Paper Money, Part I. Earlier from Lyn Knights sale of October 1991, lot 1284; Currency Auctions of Americas sale of January 2001, lot 1363; Lyn Knights sale of October 2005, lot 110.，