The 1901 Bison Tender Note is arguably one of the most popular large bills in American history. It was one of the earliest legal tender notes to feature a face value of $10, and has considerable historical appeal. Due to signature combinations experts confirm that these notes were being printed up to the 1920s.

Origins Of The Note

This bill is unofficially referred to as the bison and some mistakenly name it the buffalo note. The image which appears on it was taken from a Bison hunted in Montana which was stuffed and put on a Smithsonian display sometime during the 19^th century. To date, this is the only American bill to feature such an animal.

Bison Note Grading And Value

In general, the 1901 Bison note is not exceptionally rare. It can be found at many currency dealers, and most professional American currency collectors will have at least one in their holdings. Be that as it may, this bill to a great extent is driven by popularity. As such the value of a given note will depend on a number of factors, such as the serial number, signature combination and condition.

If you come across a bison note with a serial number that starts with a star symbol you’re in luck, as these are quite rare. Such notes can easily fetch $1,500 and more dependent on their conditioning. The bison note comes in 9 distinct signatures, and in certain markets there could be a premium of ten percent for tougher combinations. However, the majority of collectors buy these bills for the imagery instead of the signature. Aside from the signature combination and serial number, the value is based on the quality or grade of the note.

Choice uncirculated bison notes aren’t too hard to find, but when you do they can be pricey. Notes with certain numeric grades can command a minimum of $5,000. Notes which are graded Extremely Fine or About Uncirculated will have paper which is firm, and fully capable of holding folds with ease. This is a sign that the bill hasn’t been handled much, and bison notes in such a condition will usually start at around $1,000. If the bill has just a single fold it might also fetch $3,000. When it comes to the bison notes the price can vary widely depending on whether there are three folds or one. A bill without any folds is one which is uncirculated, and carries the highest value.

Another grade for the bison note is Fine or Very Fine. The majority of collectors that are interested in these bills will want to search for these. There prices start at $500 and can go as high as $1,000. These notes have probably been pressed and washed, which results in fold lines that are exceptionally white with red seals that are slightly pink in appearance. Bison’s which are rated Very Good have been widely circulated.