U.S. $5,000 Federal Reserve Note

An extremely rare relic of American financial history, this 1934 $5,000 Federal Reserve note is one of the very few of its kind still known to exist. The extraordinarily rare bill features the portrait of Founding Father and 4th President of the United States, James Madison. Initially issued to help finance the American Revolutionary War, the first official $5,000 Federal notes were printed during the Civil War. Last printed in 1945 and officially discontinued in 1969, today these bills are exceptional rarities. 

Large-denomination currency first emerged in the United States in the late 18th century, with the first $500 note being issued in North Carolina in 1780. They generally emerged during wartime, with large notes being issued during the War of 1812, the Civil War and World War I. The last series of high-denomination Federal Reserve notes were printed in 1934; the present example is a part of this series, which was discontinued in 1945. Today, it is a highly coveted and exceptionally rare collector’s item that far exceeds its face value.

The rare bill is marked with serial number "E00000081A" and has earned a coveted "Choice Uncirculated" quality grade.