By Alan Herbert, Bank Note Reporter November 23, 2009

? What is an “X Ray” note?

If you are hep to the jive, this is an old term for the rarely seen $10,000 note.



? Did the slang term “buck” for a dollar have anything to do with the deer population in our forests?

“Buck” is traced to the Ohio area and several others, where deer skins were at one time or another used as money, a prime hide being worth about a dollar. “Long Green” is another such term, coming from the tobacco money of Virginia and Maryland.



? Is “William” a slang word having something to do with money?

I haven’t heard it lately, so it probably comes under the heading of obsolete slang. “William” was used in several parts of the country for any piece of paper money, regardless of the denomination. The usage arose from the pun on “bill.” Those Confederate notes that had blue backs (in contrast to the greenbacks of the North) were called “Blue Williams.”



? What are some of the slang terms for paper money?

The late Carl Allenbaugh listed several interesting terms for paper money in one of his writings: “Bacon, ballast, brass, bullets, bounce, corn, dinero, fish, geetus, gravel, plush, rhino, potatoes, tin, toot, syrup, wampum or velvet.” Also, “bat hide, toadskin, mint leaf or happy cabbage.”



? What other uses are made of the Great Seal besides appearing on the backs of the $1 notes?

The Great Seal was designed by Sir John Prestwich, an Englishman. It was given to John Adams in 1779 when he was in England negotiating a peace treaty. The Great Seal is used on commissions for cabinet officers, ambassadors, ministers and foreign service officers and certain other government agency officials. It’s also used on proclamations, treaties, extradition papers, letters to foreign heads of state and certain other official documents. The display of the seal on the dollar is described as “educational.”



Address questions to Bank Note Reporter, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Due to space limitations, we are unable to publish all questions. Include a loose, first-class stamp for reply. Write first for specific mailing instructions before submitting numismatic material. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited items. Send e-mail inquiries to Answerman2@aol.com.

More Resources:

• Standard Catalog of United States Obsolete Bank Notes 4-CD Set, 1782-1866

• Fascinating Facts, Mysteries & Myths About U.S. Coins

• 2010 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date, 4th Edition

• State Quarters Deluxe Collector's Folder