After I received change from my grocery shopping, I was about to put it in my wallet, when, lo and behold, there was a 1988A in the mix of ones. I flipped it over and it turned out to be a web note!
That's a very nice find. I found one last year and before that the last time was 2014. My historical average since I started keeping track in 2009 is one out of every 40,000 ones searched for seven total. They don't turn up very often, let alone as change from a store!
Its great that you also found some, NOS, because I've encountered plenty of regular 88A 1 dollar notes, but this was the first web note. Since I did not have any web notes at all before, it was exciting that I didn't have to buy one from eBay!
Ok. What is a web note. Thought I knew before when I collected bills, but this old brain won't remember
Aren't the Web Notes supposed to have a plate number at the bottom right somewhere just under the E in ONE? I don't see it here.
Long story short is that web notes were an experimental form of currency printing wherein select ranges of $1 notes were printed on "web presses". These experimental printings started in 1992 but were ended in 1996 by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Reasons for the failure given are that it was too tedious and difficult to print the notes using this method. Ironically, the web press equipment was said to have (supposedly) been sold to the Canadian government, where it was successfully used.
Fascinating! I knew the press was different/experimental, but I never heard the part that it was sold to the Canadian govt. I thought it was sold for scrap metal.
Yes indeed, it definitely is. I was told this is what happened by a currency dealer at a coin show back in about 2007. While the dealer came across as being serious, it is possible he was being facetious. It'd be good if some credible sources could be found to help set the record straight about what was done with the equipment and if the Canadian government had better success in using it.
