10 Dollars Federal Reserve Note, small portrait

The "small portrait" designation separates this series from its pre-1929 predecessors but the real shift came earlier — the Federal Reserve Note format consolidated all U.S. currency into a single type following the 1929 redesign, ending the parallel existence of Gold Certificates, Silver Certificates, and United States Notes in everyday circulation. By 1963, Silver Certificates were being phased out entirely, which made the Federal Reserve Note the last paper denomination standing for most practical purposes.

Series 1963 was the first to drop the "Will pay to the bearer on demand" obligation clause, reflecting the final severance from any commodity redemption requirement. The star suffix on replacement notes for the 1963 series — rather than a prefix, as used in some earlier runs — is worth noting when checking serials.