1891 $1,000 Treasury note was sold for US$ 2.5 million at Heritage Auctions

The only known example of 1891 $1,000 treasury note with the portrait of General Meade 

Image Courtesy: Paul Fraser Collectibles Ltd. 

In a signature auction of Heritage Auctions (USA's leading auction house of collectibles) held between 24th April and 28th April 2013; Heritage sold this banknote for US$ 2.5 million. It is recorded as the unique banknote in the auction and bid was opened at US$ 1.2 million. The only other example is reported to be housed in the National Numismatic Collection of the Smithsonian Institution. As the museum was lucky enough, as it was transferred there by the treasury department shortly after printing. The 1891 $1,000 note  has similar basic design features with the famous "Grand Watermelon" note of 1890, which is well-known among collectors, despite being the more common of the two notes. A spectacular example of the note once held the previous US world record, after selling for US$2.2 million at Heritage Auctions back in 2006.  Another example of the Grand Watermelon sold for US$1.5 million in the present auction, as one of only seven examples known to exist. The 1891 note features a striking vignette of General Meade, who is noted for taking control of the Army of the Potomac on the eve of the US civil war's Battle of Gettysburg. He was once described as "a damned old goggle-eyed snapping turtle" and was renowned for his bad temper, which the engraver has certainly portrayed on the note.

Source: Paul Fraser Collectibles Ltd.