Last year Whitman Publishing put out Robert Azpiazu's book Collector's Guide to Modern Federal Reserve Notes, Series 1963-2009.On the very first page of the catalog listing (Page 1), that author writesregarding $1 Federal Reserve Notes, Series 1963: "CA [Block] C60800001A- C61440000A [Serial Numbers] Gilbert Unknown."

I believe my recent discovery of a Gilbert Paper Co. presentation foldercontaining the story of these notes and in addition an actual note, is historic and willhelp fill in some of that information. I posted images of my historic find onwww.cointalk.com last November, and also want to share it with readers of PaperMoney.

I also attempted to research my find. I wrote an email to the mayor ofMenasha, Wisconsin asking for history of the mill, and he forwarded my email to oneof the new owners of the mill and property. He, (Tom) had an interesting story howhe, and his two partners bought the mill and land back in 2002.

Tom is a lawyer. He told me that after purchasing the abandoned mill, hewas in the basement of the mill office building and discovered a large safe. He contacteda local locksmith and had the safe opened. There in the bottom of the safewere 1,100 new, banded $1 bills....nothing else. Neither Tom nor his two partnersknew anything about the history of the mill, or the possible significance of themoney.

The Crane Company has been the sole supplier of paper used in theprinting of U.S. currency for more than 130 years, and back in the early 60's, theBEP sent out invitations to six different paper companies to find out if anotherpaper company could manufacture a qualified paper, and if they could be competitivewith Crane. The Gilbert Paper Company was the only company that wanted toparticipate, and was able to provide qualified paper to the BEP. Unfortunately, theGilbert Paper Company was unable to supply paper at a reasonable price, so Craneremains the sole supplier of paper used to manufacture U.S. Currency.

Gilbert was contracted to provide the BEP with approximately150,000 lbs. of distinctive paper at a total cost of $111,750. The estimatednumber of sheets Gilbert was to deliver was 2,167,316. They were awarded [the]only item in the total contract. There is an undated amendment notice (most likelyfor June of 1965) for this contract which states that the contract is considered completewith only 1,235,396 sheets having been delivered.