United States · MPC · Vietnam
$20 · Series 692
Purple and orange face with the portrait of Chief Ouray; back with a spread-winged eagle. Position 16. Serial E05725119E.
Catalog facts
- Pick reference
- P#M98 · Schwan 938
- Serial number
- E05725119E
- Signatures
- No signatures (military issue; the use legend stands in place of a signer)
- Condition
- Unslabbed (private collection)
- Printage
- 6,400,000 notes are cited for the Series 692 $20
Face
Back
The note
The Series 692 $20 (Pick M98, Schwan 938) is the high denomination of the last series of the program, issued 7 October 1970 and withdrawn 15 March 1973. The purple face on orange guilloché carries a central portrait of Ute chief Ouray — an F. H. Noyes engraving, circa 1880 — and, at left, a hollow orange 20 behind the use legend. “SERIES 692” sits at the right; 16 is the sheet position number. The violet back shows a spread-winged eagle, with 20 and TWENTY at both sides. Serial E05725119E falls in the second printing (E04800001E–E06400000E). This collection piece, unslabbed, is not a replacement: the E block opens and closes the number.
Scarcity and printage
Series 692 was the last issue and, for the ANA, among the most American in theme: Native portraits, bison, eagles. 6,400,000 notes are cited for this $20; the series’ total face value exceeded $214 million. The $10 and $20 are the most sought of the issue; the $10 replacement is the key if printing-run varieties are set aside.
Population
A PMG or PCGS census for this serial has not been independently verified. The note is shown in original, unslabbed condition.
Sources
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World Banknotes & Coins — Series 692 $20 MPC
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Cites 6,400,000 notes; Ouray on the face; issued 7 October 1970 to 15 March 1973.
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Paper Money Forum — BEP engravings used on MPCs
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Identifies the Series 692 $20 portrait as Chief Ouray, engraved by F. H. Noyes circa 1880 (card FM-13).
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Art-Hanoi — MPC Series 692 (P-M83 to P-M89; Schwan 931–937)
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Lists the 5-cent through $10 values. The $20 is Schwan 938 (PMG S938); the Bank Note Museum numbers it M98.
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American Numismatic Association — Military Payment Certificates
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Issue and withdrawal dates for Series 641, 661, 681, and 692; Series 651 outside Vietnam; Series 692 fractionals withdrawn 1 June 1971.
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CoinWeek — Money of Necessity: U.S. Military Payment Certificates
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1946 origin, C-Day, offset versus intaglio, planchettes, the Boston printers, and the BEP from Series 611.
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Bank Note Museum — United States, Military Payment Certificates (M1–M106)
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Schwan/Pick numbering for Series 641 (M57–M63), 661 (M64–M71), 681 (M75–M82), and 692 (M91–M98).
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Bureau of Engraving and Printing — Military Payment Certificates (fact sheet)
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Places Series 641, 661, 681, and 692 in Vietnam; Series 651 in Japan, Libya, and South Korea.
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720th Military Police Battalion — MPC history
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Timeline of the Vietnam series and the split withdrawal of Series 692 (fractionals / dollars).