Paper Money of the United States: 1886 Five Dollar Silver Certificate “Morgan Back”., Small Red Seal, plain
The Series 1886 Five Dollar Silver Certificate “Silver Dollar Note” was ranked 21st most beautiful note in the book 100 Greatest American Currency Notes compiled by Bowers and Sundman.
Obverse: Bust of Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States,1869-1873. The portrait was engraved by Lorenzo J. Hatch. Small Red Seal, plain.
Reverse: "Morgan Silver Dollar" coin vignette - Five Silver Dollars, the central one dated 1886, the same year as this series. Portions of the inscription “In God We Trust” are discernible on four of the coins.
Signatures: (as depicted) William Starke Rosecrans, Register of the Treasury and Enos H. Nebeker, Treasurer of the United States.
Inscriptions: Silver Certificate - Department Series 1886 - Act of August 4 1886 - Bureau of Engraving & Printing - Register Of The Treasury - Treasurer Of The United States - This Certifies That There Have Been Deposited In The Treasury Of The United States Five Silver Dollars Payable To Bearer On Demand Washington, D.C. - United States Silver Certificate - Amer Septent Sigil Thesaur - This Certificate Is Receivable For Customs, Taxes and All Public Dues, And When So Received May Be Reissued - Engraved and printed at the Bureau, Engraving & Printing
The 1886 $5 silver certificate is mostly frequently called a “Morgan Back” That nickname comes from the fact that there are five silver dollars pictured on the reverse of this bill. It is also important to mention that Ulysses S. Grant is featured on the 1886 $5 silver certificate. We of course closely associate Grant with the $50 bill. However, he didn’t appear on that denomination until 1913 gold certificates were issued. The 1886 $5 bill is important because it is what is known as a one year design type. That popular reverse image with the Morgan dollar coin vignette was never used again. It is also fun to note that the pictured Morgan dollar is of course from 1886. These were issued during a time when coins were still preferred to paper currency. The coin images were no doubt included so people would feel more secure.
United States 5 Dollar Bills
United States 5 Dollar Bill, Silver Certificate “Morgan Back”, Series 1886
5 Dollar Bills : United States Military Payment Certificates US MPC