Four PMG-certified Banknotes Sell for Six Figures in Stack's Sale

A vintage US banknote that realized $312,000 was among many paper money rarities certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) that saw impressive results in a recent Stack’s Bowers sale. PMG-certified US and world banknotes were offered in a series of session associated with the Global Showcase Auction, including Session 2 on August 15, 2023, and Session A, held a day earlier.

Leading the PMG-certified notes in the sale was a 1934 $5,000 Federal Reserve Note (Chicago) graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20339) which realized $312,000. This note is one of only 40 examples of this catalog number in the PMG Population Report. It shares its grade with one other example, with none graded higher. US notes with this high denomination are seldom seen at auction, especially in uncirculated grades.

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Meanwhile, a 1928 $100 Gold Certificate graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20348) realized $150,000. Although PMG has certified over a thousand examples of this $100 Gold Certificate, only three have achieved this grade, including this one. There are currently none graded higher. Gold certificates are quite rare, since many of the issued examples were redeemed as the Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration moved the US off of the gold standard amid the Great Depression.

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Other PMG-certified banknotes in the auctions included:

• an 1882 $100 Gold Certificate graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20221) that realized $144,000
• a 1928 $1,000 Gold Certificate graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (Session 2, lot 20353) that realized $108,000
• a 1928 $100 Gold Certificate Star Note graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20351) that realized $84,000
• a 1918 $1,000 Federal Reserve Note (Chicago) graded PMG 45 Choice Extremely Fine (Session 2, lot 20204) that realized $55,200
• a 1918 $500 Federal Reserve Note (New York) graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine (Session 2, lot 20203) that realized $50,400
• an 1878 $5 Legal Tender note graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20091) that realized $40,800
• a Canada, Bank of Canada 1935 $100 graded PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Session A, lot 40216) that realized $40,800
• a 1934 $1,000 Federal Reserve Note (Kansas City) graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Session 2, lot 20325) that realized $38,400
• a group of five Bolivia, Banco Industrial de La Paz 1900 banknotes (1, 5, 20, 50 and 100 Bolivianos) each with Serial Number 1 — graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine to PMG 55 About Uncirculated (Session A, lot 40046) that realized $36,000
• a 1922 $1,000 Gold Certificate graded PMG 30 Very Fine (Session 2, lot 20228) that realized $36,000

All prices realized include a buyer’s premium.