Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 26776 - America 250th Anniversary Sale Ft. Coins, Medals, Banknotes, Objets de Vertu & Ephemera
Lot: 100

(x) Legal Tender, United States of America, mule $10, 1901, serial number E54284320, pp D,
(Fr. 122m), in PMG holder 20 Very Fine, a desirable design and mule note

Introducing an iconic Legal Tender "Bison Note", featuring the American bison standing proudly at the centre.

The bison is deeply rooted in American heritage and serves as a powerful symbol of the nation's frontier history. At the time of issue in 1901, the American bison had already undergone a dramatic decline due to overhunting and habitat loss, making its depiction all the more striking within this historical context.

Disputes over whether the bison on this note is 'Black Diamond', an iconic buffalo situated in the Central Park Zoo in the early 1900s and similarly believed to have been the model for the "Buffalo Nickel" coin, adds further intrigue to the illustration.

Alongside the bison are portraits of American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, best known for leading an expedition that explored the newly acquired western portion of the country, a significant step in the era of westward expansion. On the reverse of the note, Columbia is situated between two pillars and scrolls, a neoclassical figure symbolising the nation's strength, liberty, and independence.


Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
$900 to $1,300

Starting price
$600