Who has signed your notes? The fun of AUTOGRAPH NOTES

Autograph Notes

All US currency notes carry the engraved signature of the current US Secretary of the Treasury. Of great interest to those of us who watch these signatures, is the signature of Jack Lew, as Treasury Secretary. Recently, Lew called out to China to end its government sponsored cyber attacks against US and world financial entities. Lew wants all  nations to abide by rules of conduct that support a healthy global economy. Truly, when Lew speaks, the world listens!

Ever since Lew’s confirmation as Treasury Secretary, his engraved signature has been added to our US currency.

Collectors also find handwritten autographed signatures on currency notes. These notes are affectionately called “Autographed Notes.” 

Here is an autographed one dollar note

Early in our American currency history, hand-written signatures were added to notes as a security measure against counterfeit. However, as the explosion of and need for currency increased, hand signatures became impractical and thus, engraved signatures were used. 

Autographed Notes are tremendously valuable, rare, highly sought-after, and extremely collectable. 

They represent not only the note and the financial, political and social history surrounding that specific note, but also the famous person who has chosen to hand sign – autograph - the note. 

Famous persons autographing these notes have elected to capture that moment, as well as themselves, for history. Interestingly, these “autographs” may include courtesy signatures of the Treasury Secretary, the Treasurer, or both.  

Two or more signature combinations may be extremely rare and in many cases, one-of-a-kind.  Thus, the assignment of a replacement value on some of these notes is nearly impossible. 

Autographed notes increase in value depending on the original note’s rarity as well as its face value, official grade or condition, the person or person s autographing the note (and the authentication of the signature), the quality of the signature and ink, and the scarcity of such autographs.

If there is an Autograph Note that you are looking for and it is not listed on our web site at treasuredstocks.com, please give us a call at 870-670-4255 or email Jeff:   jeff@treasuredstocks.com

For a look at some rare and collectible currency, including autographed notes, visit us at

http://www.treasuredstocks.com/currency/

Short Snorter notes make history come alive!

What is a 
“Short Snorter” You Ask …?

A   short snorter is a currency (bank) note that has been autographed by various persons meeting, working, serving, or traveling together. We believe that the true short snorter origin occurred during the mid-1920s in Alasaka by Alaskan Bush Pilots. From there, it spread throughout military and commercial aviation circles, including the US Space missions. 

Here's a SHORT SNORTER example

Friends, colleagues, or even travel companions would all pull out a note, usually a small denomination and usually of the local currency. Each person would then sign each note (if there were ten in a group, each note would have ten signatures). They would keep their signed note with them at all times. 

Upon request from one of the signers, the person would have to produce the note, pay a dollar, or buy a drink (or a round of drinks) for the requestor. In other words, once the short snorter was signed, the collector would have to produce it upon request; if not, they were obliged to give the signer money or a drink which often meant buying a round of drinks for all of the drinking buddies. 

Snorter is a word derived from “snort” which is a slang expression meaning strong alcoholic beverage. Short, in this context, refers to something less than full. Thus, “short snorter” is used to denote the drinks the person would have to buy, if he or she did not produce the designated note.

For our US military, short snorters were more than a drinking game or challenge; they were a symbol of good luck, friendship, and camaraderie. Short Snorters also became a unique keepsake and permanent historical record of persons with whom one served. 

If notes could talk, each of these signed and preserved short snorter’s would “speak” volumes; every short snorter is a unique piece of history! Importantly, preserving this history has become a mission of the Short Snorter Project. 

The Short Snorter Project is a tax exempt organization with a historically inspiring mission. According to their web site, donations to their organization are “used to further educate the general public about  short snorters and the people who carried them.”  Their main goals are to … “place permanent displays in prominent museums and to attend large gatherings to communicate the tradition of the short snorter.”

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For a look at some rare and collectible currency items, including unique short snorter notes, visit us at

http://www.treasuredstocks.com/currency/  

We are official members of multiple numismatic-related organizations. Thus, Treasuredstocks.com welcomes any and all questions regarding our coin and currency postings and our passion for collecting coins and currency of all types. 

We are here to assist you! Please give us a call at 870-670-4255 or email us at jeff@treasuredstocks.com