Series 1953 $5 United States Note with a circular ink stamp Thule 1954

Back (mid to late 60s) when my dad was introducing me to currency collection (mostly coins) I learned about silver certificates, etc. I found a $5 United States Note bill in circulation and knew it was different from all the Federal Reserve Note bills. But, like a lot of young teenagers I had my eye set on a model of some kind of car. So I spent the $5 and got the model.

I have been kicking myself for almost 50 years about that stupid purchase. I just bought (I prefer to find in circulation) a Series 1953 $5 United States Note. I was so happy to see it and buy it I didn't look at it carefully.

It has a circular ink stamp over the legal tender wording with the word Thule and a date of 1954. The only Thule I know is an Air Force Base in Greenland and it's been around since before 1954. Why would the base paymaster's office or even the base exchange stamp a bill with the base name?

I'm curious, but mostly I'm glad to get an United States Note bank note back in my collection.

Thanks,

GTeachman

 

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Perhaps it was somebody's souvenir note.

 

I think the stamp and year helps to give the note some good context, especially if it refers to an air base in Greenland. Speaking of old $5 notes and silver certificates, check out what I found at a bank yesterday:



I saw it in the teller's drawer just as I was about to leave. I swiftly offered to buy it; the teller kindly obliged. She said she had just been holding onto it because no one (customers) would take it. Not only is it the oldest $5 note I've found in circulation it is the first silver certificate I've found as well. It's been folded a few times in its day but for a bank find in 2018 I can't complain and I am more than happy with it.

 

A few days ago I asked a teller if He had any two's he said yes then as a joke I said do you have any red seal 2's He said yes. So I bought that two plus about 4 other 2's I also asked If he would sell me the silver Certificate because he was fanning them out. He sold me a Hawaii dollar 1935-A, a 1957-A silver certificate STAR and a few two's. I also got a 1943 cent in the reject slot when I was turning in some pennies. very nice day for me.