the $5 silver certificate "Electricity as the Dominant Force in the World" designed by Walter Shirlaw, an engraver, painter and muralist. At the center of this gorgeous note is winged female (Electricity) holding a light bulb. To her right is Jupiter riding in on a chariot while holding a lightning bolt that is energizing the light bulb. Next is Fame with a trumpet delivering sweet music over a map of the United States. To her right is a bald eagle standing guard of America and Washington D.C. (which can be seen in the background). Finally, to Electricity’s far right is Peace along with her dove – always the symbol of peace.

Thomas F. Morris persuaded Johnson to change the scrollwork around the border of the note, and is credited for changing these elements. Shirlaw originally had blank shields at the left and right borders. Morris added the plant life surrounding the phrases seen at the left and right hand side. G.F.C. Smillie engraved the front of the $5 note.

Morris, Smillie and Hatch again worked together to design and engrave the back of this last note in the Educational series. Morris and Hatch took over the duties to design the whole of the note while Smillie was the primary engraver. The female head at the top center is rumored to greatly resemble the wife of Morris. It was Hatch’s job to engrave, yet again, the portraits that are seen: General Ulysses Grant at left, and General Philip Sheridan at right. Both generals were active during the Civil War and had several ties to one another. Including Grant and Sheridan there are only two other Commanding Generals to appear on a US banknote.

As with the $1 before it, there was some public criticism of these notes. Most obviously was the bare chested Electricity. Several groups wrote letters to Johnson urging him to clothe her in future versions of the note. Bank tellers also complained saying that it was hard to count at a fast pace – due to the denominations not being at the top corners. Another issue was after much handling the notes become smeared and hard to read and the notes also look fake. These complaints were fixed by making the numbers more clear and adding a lathe work to the corners.3

At one point there were plans to design and make higher denominations ($10, $20, etc) but there was a changing of the guard. In 1897 a new Secretary was placed into office – Lyman J. Gage. Gage was not a fan of the Educational Series and went on record numerous times saying that all future notes will not be designed by painters and that they will be practically identical, simple, clear and straightforward in all of their designs. This was the end of powerful panoramic views on banknotes.

This short lived series may have only been in circulation for a few years, but it certainly has not left our hearts and our minds as some of the most artistic designs ever to grace a US banknote.

The note you see is the note you get and is very competitively priced.  Thanks for visiting my page.  Appreciate it.

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