This wonderful old U.S. note is believed by many numismatists to feature the bison “Black Diamond”—the same animal that would later be pictured on the Buffalo Nickel. The intricately detailed portraits on either side of the buffalo are of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, two adventurers whose famous 4,000-mile journey had an incredible influence on the shaping of the American West.

Issued from 1901 until 1925, this popular but exceedingly rare collectible bill honors the U. S. government’s commitment to frontier development at the turn of the 19th century. It was welcomed with much fanfare during its first year—in fact, the April 10, 1901 edition of The New York Times hailed it “as artistic as any bill that has been issued in many years.” The image of the buffalo was based on a drawing by celebrated wildlife artist Charles Knight, who was born in 1874.