Three PMG-certified US Banknotes Each Realize Over $250,000 in Heritage Sale

Three notes certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) each realized prices over $250,000 in the FUN Currency Signature Auction presented by Heritage Auctions on January 14, 2022. Collectors excitedly competed to own some of the rarest US banknotes, most of which were certified by PMG.

The top PMG-certified lot was a 1934 $5,000 Federal Reserve Note (Dallas) graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ (lot 21175). From the BREA Collection and bearing a low serial number, this particular note realized $312,000.

1934 $5,000 Federal Reserve Note (Dallas) graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ. Realized: $312,000 Click images to enlarge.

Another note from the BREA Collection in the sale was a 1934 $10,000 Federal Reserve Note (Boston). Used for transactions between financial institutions, the $10,000 note is the highest denomination of legal tender currency printed by the United States. This note, graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (lot 21176), realized $300,000.

1934 $10,000 Federal Reserve Note (Boston) graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated. Realized: $300,000 Click images to enlarge.

Meanwhile, an extremely rare 1863 $50 Legal Tender graded PMG 58 Choice About Unc EPQ (lot 21064) realized $288,000 in the sale. Featuring the first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, it is one of only eight known examples of this particular catalog number, according to Heritage.

1863 $50 Legal Tender graded PMG 58 Choice About Unc EPQ. Realized: $288,000 Click images to enlarge.

Other PMG-certified highlights in the sale include:

• a 1918 $500 Federal Reserve Note (Kansas City) graded PMG 58 Choice About Unc (lot 21131) that realized $90,000
• an 1890 $10 Treasury Note graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 21116) that realized $52,800
• a 1933 $10 Silver Certificate graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 21149) that realized $50,400
• a Confederate States of America 1861 $1,000 graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 21012) that realized $48,000
• an 1880 $100 Legal Tender graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated (lot 21069) that realized $45,600
• an 1891 $5 Silver Certificate graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ with Serial Number 8 (lot 21088) that realized $38,400
• a New York, New York Original Series $100 National Bank Note graded PMG 20 Very Fine (lot 21020) that realized $36,000
• a 1934A $1,000 Federal Reserve Note (Atlanta) graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Unc EPQ (lot 21172) that realized $36,000

All prices realized include the buyer’s premium.