Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/726123
40 THE CAPITOL DOME from New York City were contracted to design the notes. Walter Shirlaw (1830-1909)—another Scottish-born engraver also known for his work as an illustrator—designed this $5 face and was paid $800 for his work. 27 The image is called "Electricity Presenting Light to the World," 28 or "Electricity as the Dominant Force in the World." The winged woman in the center symbolizes Elec- tricity, holding a light bulb high. On the left is Jupiter, who represents force, in a chariot and holding lightning bolts that are powering Electricity's lamp. Fame is in the foreground, symbolizing progress and announcing Electricity's presence with a long trumpet. On the right is Peace, raising her arm to touch a dove flying above her head. 29 The background on the right shows a glimpse of the Capitol Dome. The Capitol is also on the $1 note from the same series (fig.19), in the background of a vignette entitled "History Instructing Youth." It was engraved by Charles Schlecht in 1895, and was based on a design by William H. Low. 30 The image features a partially-reclining woman ("History") wearing white robes with a star pattern across her lap. Her right arm is around a boy ("Youth") standing at her side. She points with her left hand towards a vista of Washington, DC, with the Washington Monument, Capitol, and Potomac River. On the right is a book open to a page with text from the United States Constitution. Expectations for the 1896 silver certificates were high before they even began circulating. "It is a very beautiful change from the old conventional bank note design," said the New York Times. 31 "The new issue of United States silver certificates…ranks, by virtue of beautiful design and effec- tive engraving, as the most artistic paper money ever put into circulation," declared the Washington Post. 32 Unfortunately, when the first notes in the Education Series entered into circulation, problems immediately arose. Bank tellers complained that the images were too dark, making it difficult to see the denominations. To remedy this, the BEP created new plates for the notes with lighter colors and clearer denominations. Problems continued, however. Ink easily smudged, and designs were so dense that it was hard to tell if the notes were printed on genuine currency paper. 33 Furthermore, the female nudity featured on the $5 note offended Victorian sensibilities, and the note was even "banned in Boston" due to the state of undress. 34 The BEP promised to ensure that the ladies would be properly clothed on future notes, but this and the other problems became too great. Production on the Educational Series was eventually abandoned with only three of nine planned denominations printed. 35 While this series was despised when it was first issued, its popularity has soared in recent years. The value of a crisp, uncirculated $5 note has increased from $275 in 1960 to $16,000 in 2006. The notes from this series are now widely Fig. 19. $5 Silver Certificate, Series 1896, face Fig. 18. $5 Silver Certificate, Series 1896, face NATIONAL NUMISMATIC COLLECTION, NMAH, SI NATIONAL NUMISMATIC COLLECTION, NMAH, SI