Census Data on U.S. Small-Size Varieties & More
The 1934 $5 Silver Certificates were printed from 1934 to 1953 and encompassed five different series, 1934 to 1934D, 21 different blocks, A-A to V-A (no O-prefix was used) plus Stars, and a WWII Emergency Issue (North Africa). This series offers a wide variety (pun intended) of ways to collect and a number of rare notes to chase. Some of these tough varieties include Mules with LFBP (Late-Finished Back Plate) #637 & Late-Use BP #629, a Mule block with a micro-size BP (1934A H-A block), a very tough regular block (1934B M-A), a LFP (Late-Finished Plate), and subtle design modifications to the face plate and back plate. This project is currently only focused on the varieties listed below, but may expand to cover others in the future.
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The table below shows the blocks in which each series was printed, and the total number of notes it would take to complete a full series block set (without varieties).
There were no major design changes during the course of the 1934 series, but there were a few different subtle design modifications. The 1934A series included a WWII Emergency Issue, in which the Treasury seal color was changed from blue to yellow, and was used in North Africa and Italy during WWII. Aside from the change to the seal, the notes were identical to the regular Silver Certificates.
1934A $5 North Africa WWII Emergency Issue
from the 1st run of 320,000 notes
The 1934C series saw a slight change to the face, with a Narrow Face design introduced on just four face plates (#2028-2031), which is covered in a separate section.
Wide Face; FP #1875-2026
Narrow Face; FP #2028-2031
The 1934D series saw a slight change from the Wide I back plate design, which was used on all $5 small-size notes to that point, to a Narrow design, and then to a Wide II design (a change back to the original reverse design following the Narrow plates).
Wide I
BP #2006 and lower
Narrow
BP #2007 to 2066
Wide II
BP #2067 to #2096
This series also had Mule varieties printed over four different series, 1934 to 1934C. A "Mule" is created when a note is printed with an older micro-sized plate serial number on one side and a macro-sized plate serial number on the other. A Mule is not specific to Silver Certificates or the $5 denomination... any note with a macro-sized plate number (newer) on one side and a micro-sized plate number (older) on the other creates a Mule.
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The 1934 series was printed with micro-size face plate numbers (FP #1-561) along with their corresponding backs with micro-size plate numbers (BP #938 and lower). With the 1934A series, there was a change to a macro-size plate number for the face (FP #562-1765) and had already started producing macro-size plate number back plates (BP #939 and higher). The 1934 series Mules are created when a 1934 face plate (micro-size) was mated to a sheet printed with a newer macro-size BP. And the opposite is true for 1934A series Mules, in which a 1934A face plate (macro-size) was mated to a sheet printed with an older micro-sized BP.
Micro-size
​Face Plate
Macro-size
​Face Plate
Micro-size
Back Plate
Macro-size Back Plate
Long after the micro-size plate numbering era ended, two additional micro-size plate numbers were discovered, #637 and #629, and sent to press. The LFBP #637 was used on K-A block to P-A block notes, whereas BP #629 was only used on M-A & N-A block notes. For more information on these cool Mule BPs, CLICK HERE.
$5 Silver Certificate Census Projects
This project is currently only focused on the notes listed below, but may expand to cover others in the future.
Scare or Rare Series/Blocks
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Mules
1934A Macro/Micro Mules (G-A & H-A Blocks)
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Design Varieties
1934A LFP #307 - SC & North Africa
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