OK everybody I need some help. Is this note a Freeman 16, 16a, 17 or 17a. The conditions is VF according to my thinking. There are some minor folds. Slight tear in the upper right hand corner(1/16"). The paper at the tear is still attached. Appparently this year currency used a brittle paper and was easliy torn. The note still has a lot of crispness and to my way of thinking not too bad considering it is 146 years old. Appreciate your input.
First. "Friedberg Number" refers to the index number for each note as identified in the Standard Catalog of US Paper Money. http://www.amazon.com/Standard-Catalog-United-States-Paper/dp/0896891550
Second, I believe that the presence of the "a" (in this case only) would indicate that the signature was handwritten. No "a" would indicate that the signature was engraved. I'm not that familiar with this particular note, so I can't tell if it's engraved or not from the scan (if I had to guess, I would guess engraved, but that's only a guess). I don't have the catalog in front of me, so I'm not positive on this meaning of the "a", but I did a google search and it appears that for these notes, that's what I found.
Third, as for the 16 or 17, I believe that would depend on who signed the note. I don't have the catalog in front of me, so I can't look it up right now.
Got it. Difference between 16 and 17 is size of the seal. 16 has small red seal, 17 has large red seal. I'm guessing 17 as I can't imagine that seal being any larger. Sorry for thinking out loud here. Time for OP to goto the library and check out a copy of the catalog (doesn't matter how new or old it is as the prices are only relative anyway).
