A Progressive Proof Set of the Series 641 50 cents
by Larry Smulczenski

It has always been a thrill for me to see a progressive proof set of any note and observe how the various individual colors and engraved lines meld together to form a beautiful banknote. The Comprehensive Catalog of Military Payment Certificates by Fred Schwan says that there were only two complete Progressive Proof Sets of Series 641 known in private collections. One set of the seven denominations remains in a collection while the other set has been broken up and individual denominations reside in the homes of several lucky collectors.

The 50c of the series is shown in black and white on page 69 on the MPC Catalog but we would like to show it to you here in living color. The face of the note is comprised of four colors. The first two colors, a light green and light blue may be a little hard to see but the dark brown is clear, and the vivid orange is exciting. The fifth image is a composite while the sixth has the plate position and serial number which are 48 and J00000000J respectively with the serial number indicating a specimen.