$10 Confederate States Chemicograph Banknote Civil War Paper Money, PMG ChUNC 64
1957-58 Bertram C468a PMG Choice Uncirculated 64. The cutting down removes on the blank back the trim lines and the Straker text at bottom center.
Proper measurements should be approximately 92.5 mm by 214.5 mm, while the piece in this lot measures 73 mm by 177 mm. No Chase Chemicograph Backs were printed with these approximate dimensions.
Altered Chemicographs are discussed on pages 40-41 of The Confederate Chemicograph Backs Revisited 2nd edition 2023 by Peter Bertram. The author has encountered very few of these across all denominations, but one must remain vigilant.
The example in this lot also exhibits red ink that is from a light printing or that has faded. The fronts of the 1864 Confederate Treasury notes were so similar to those of 1863 that new reverse plates were needed and ordered from England. The 1864 plain designs unfortunately lost the counterfeit deterring value of the distinctive Chemicograph designs. But a few of the Chemicograph plates did somehow survive and were used to produce four printings starting circa 1879 and into the 1950s. Some of these have recently been found and submitted for authentication and grading. A great investment and awesome piece of history.