1935A Hawaii WW2 1 Dollar Short Snorter Note - Signed by World War Two Soldiers - WWII Short Snorter Brown Seal Emergency Note - Fr#2300

This listing is for the photographed WW2 "Short Snorter" Signed 1935-A Brown Seal Hawaii Overprint 1 Dollar Silver Certificate Note. The note on which the signatures are written is an emergency Hawaii overprint note that was issued during World War II (Fr.2300/ Friedburg Number 2300). This note was signed by 7 soldiers that fought in World War II, likely stationed in Hawaii where these notes primarily circulated. Two signatures are featured on the obverse, and the other five are on the reverse. Along with each soldier's name, they also signed their hometowns. The note was likely taped to other notes on either side, seeing as there are remnants of tape strips on the left and right ends of the note. Short snorters often consisted of several different notes all signed by different soldiers, which would then be connected using tape to make a long strip of signed "Short Snorter" notes, which was likely originally the case with this note. Fine (F) grade/condition, many visible folds and other signs of circulation, including the tape remnants on both sides of the note. Very interesting, rare short snorter from World War II, must have for any collection! 

"Short Snorters" were popularized by the U.S. military during World War II, becoming a large part of the popular culture among the infantry during and after the war. These bank notes were signed by one's friends and/or acquaintances as a keepsake. They were most popular with the air force or with those using air travel, as it was commonly seen as a sign of good luck for the soldier to have their note signed before a flight. Short snorters stayed a popular practice during other U.S. military ventures after WWII, but the height of their usage stayed in the 1940s. Short snorters would be filled with signatures, and once servicemen travelled overseas, they would commonly create Short Snorters out of local currency wherever they travelled and attach their collected notes together to create a long sash of dollar bills signed by other servicemen. Today Short Snorters serve as an extremely valuable relic from World War II, giving fascinating insight into the social history of military culture during wartime.

The term "snort" was common slang for a mixed drink in the first half of the 20th century. "Short" was similarly used during this time to signify a less than full measure. Together, the term "Short Snort" was used as slang for a less than full shot of liquor. When airmen started to realize that alcohol and flying airplanes do not mix well, they commonly used short snorts to drink in moderation on flights, which soon led to many airmen jokingly calling each other "Short Snorters." The term started being used as a name for these notes because of the drinking games that would commonly be played using Short Snorters. Service members would each show their short snorters, and whoever had the least number of signatures on their note would pay for the next round of drinks.

A Hawaii overprint note is one of a series of banknotes (one silver certificate and three Federal Reserve Notes) issued during World War II as an emergency issue after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The intent of the overprints was to easily distinguish US currency captured by Imperial Japanese forces in the event of an invasion of Hawaii and render the notes worthless. Although a sizeable number of the notes were recalled and destroyed after the end of World War II, many escaped destruction and exist as collectibles of numismatic interest in the present day.

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1935A Hawaii WW2 1 Dollar Short Snorter Note - Signed by World War Two Soldiers - WWII Short Snorter Brown Seal Emergency Note - Fr#2300