Designation: Series of 1935A $1 Small Size Silver Certificate
Friedberg Catalog Number: Fr. 2300 (Standard block variation)
Denomination: One Dollar ($1.00 USD)
Signatures: W.A. Julian (Register of the Treasury) & Henry Morgenthau Jr. (Secretary of the Treasury)
Serial Number: C05419457C (C-C block pairing)
Grade/Condition: Circulated / Very Fine (VF Details)
Special Variety: WWII Hawaii Emergency Overprint (Distinguished by the crisp, bold black vertical overprints reading “HAWAII” on both outer margins of the obverse face, paired with a large, hollow outline block lettering stamp reading “HAWAII” dominating the center reverse)
Historical & Series Significance:
The Threat of Pacific Occupation: Following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. government faced an immediate threat of a full-scale Japanese invasion and potential occupation of the Hawaiian Islands. To safeguard the national economy against enemy capture of large stockpiles of U.S. cash, the Treasury Department recalled all standard paper currency in the territory.
The Devaluation Safety Net: In early 1942, they replaced local cash with these special-issue emergency silver certificates. By overprinting the notes with distinctive brown seals, brown serial numbers, and a bold geographic identifier, the military government created a built-in safety net: if Japanese forces had captured the islands, the U.S. government could instantly freeze and declare all Hawaii-stamped bills completely worthless while protecting the domestic mainland economy.
Condition & Eye Appeal Notes:
Paper Body & Wear: Honest, moderately circulated condition. The paper body has softened slightly from historical handling and displays expected minor vertical and horizontal fold lines. However, the note remains strong and completely intact, entirely free of distracting edge tears, corner pinholes, heavy grease stains, or modern ink graffiti.
Ink Stability: The primary obverse portrait engraving of George Washington and the reverse Great Seal elements maintain exceptional definition. The specialized wartime brown ink used for the small scalloped Treasury seal and serial numbers remains rich and strongly saturated. Widespread, faint natural environmental aging lines are visible across the margins, adding to its authentic vintage character.
Presentation: Cleanly housed and securely presented inside a semi-rigid clear protective plastic currency sleeve.