Preliminary identification
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Overview
A Series 1935 A $1 Silver Certificate covered in hand-written signatures from fellow servicemen and comrades, inscribed at the top margin with the words 'SHORT SNORTER'. These signed banknotes served as souvenir keepsakes and drinking-game tokens for aviators, troops, and dignitaries traveling together during World War II.
Story
Starting in the 1920s and exploding during WWII, transoceanic flyers signed banknotes as shared records of dangerous journeys. If a comrade caught you without your 'snorter', you owed them a drink—or a 'short snort' of whiskey.
Maker / Origin
Printed by the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the underlying bill is a standard Series 1935 A Blue Seal Silver Certificate. However, the true 'makers' of this artifact are the anonymous service members who signed their names across its face and back, transforming a piece of currency into a personal military history.
Condition & Value
Heavy fold wear, edge tearing, minor paper loss, and central creasing typical for circulated currency carried in military pockets during wartime. Heavy ink signatures remain legible across both obverse and reverse. Basic single-bill Short Snorters with unidentified signatures typically sell between $25 and $60.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.