At the World's Fair of Money (also known as the ANA convention) in Anaheim, Stacks-Bowers Auctions will sell a most remarkable MPC collection.

The collection includes regular issue certificates, replacements, and specimens. That seems to cover every category--but it does not. It includes a category that we never before considered! Here are some highlights in each of the categories.

Regular issues: Series 481 $5 apparent fourth printing. Until now collector Dick Freyser was the only one to have one of these notes. It has a serial number that exceeda that of third printings and also has the characteristics of the fourth printing.

Replacements: there are many great replacements in the collection. I will tell you about two. The first is an amazing uncirculated Series 471 $5! Yes, we are talking about replacements here. Indeed, this $5 is part of a full set of Series 471 replacements!

Even if you do not collect MPC by printing, you probably know that Series 521 $5 certificates from the second printing are rare. Heck, only 800,000 regular issue certificates were printed. Only a few are known in collections. Well the piece in this collection is a nice uncirculated second printing replacement--the first such reported (by printing).

Specimens: If you liked the above, you will be amazed at the specimens. They are the strength of the collection. The collection includes specimens in several formats. There are a few partial sets. There are a few double sets--that is cojoined pairs of specimens. Interestingly there is only one specimen set of the classic format with which we are familiar--one specimen of each denomination in a booklet. In this case it is a Series 692 set.

The collection includes two formats of specimens that have not been previously reported. The first is a set of Series 521 with zero serial numbers but no prefixes or suffixes. The other is a Series 591 set with zeros and SPECIMEN hand stamped on each note. Both of these sets are loose (not in booklets).

The PCS book in this collection is of Series 701! Furthermore, it is a complete set of Series 701. Yes, it includes the fractional denominations! This would represent the first opportunity that collectors have ever had to obtain a fractional note or set for a collection, except that I deceived you. Among the specimen sets described above is a full specimen set of Series 701 complete with fractional denominations!

After you get over the shock of this announcement, you will want to know whence came this collection. We do not have detailed information except that it came from a former government employee. I do not know if the person was military or civilian, but he or she received the bulk of the collection as a departing gift upon retirement. The collection was consigned to Stacks-Bowers by an heir after the death of the retiree. I do not know if more details will ever be available.

The auction catalog is certain to be a beauty. It is likely that collectors will be talking about this auction and referring to this catalog for a very long time.

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