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Message:: [QUOTE="harrync, post: 2650444, member: 58588"]A while back [20 years ago?] the Raleigh Coin Club had a bit of a surplus, so we decided to donate $1000 to the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian. They in turn invited us to a behind-the-scenes tour. We got to see things like Bust Halves struck in platinum [with a "P" punched in it so no-one mistook it for silver]. I collected currency, and asked to see the First Series Gold Certificates - color photos were not yet allowed, and I wanted to see if that series had gold backs - they did. Also looked at a few California proofs of banks I had never seen - the Southern California NB of LA has what I call a "Volcano" format [Ch# 3538 - unknown with this title per Kelly's 5th ed.] But although I had not requested it, they also brought out their three $100,000 bills, took them out of their holders, handed them to me and said "Now you can tell people you have held over a quarter million dollars in your hands." I had an extra issued stock certificate of the First National Gold Bank of Santa Barbara, so asked them if they would like it [has a great vignette of the harbor]; they said sure. So somewhere in the back rooms of the Smithsonian is that certificate that used to be mine.[/QUOTE]