In 1917, the United States issued several types of legal tender paper money:

• Federal Reserve Notes: These were the first notes issued by the newly established Federal Reserve System. They were known as "Large Size" notes due to their size being larger than later issues [Wikipedia, Federal Reserve Note].
• United States Notes ("Greenbacks"): These notes, first issued during the Civil War, continued to be legal tender in 1917. They featured green ink and portraits of past presidents [Bureau of Engraving and Printing, History of US Currency].
• Silver Certificates: These certificates were backed by silver held by the U.S. Treasury and could be redeemed for a silver dollar at a bank (though this convertibility ended in the 1960s) [Federal Reserve History, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System].

Identifying the Specific Type of Legal Tender:

Unfortunately, simply knowing it's a 1917 legal tender note isn't enough to identify the specific type. Here are some ways to narrow it down:

• Denomination: These notes came in various denominations like $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000 [Federal Reserve History, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System].
• Design: The design varied depending on the type and denomination. You can find images of different designs online by searching for "1917 $ [denomination] Federal Reserve Note" or "1917 $ [denomination] Silver Certificate" replacing [denomination] with the actual bill amount (e.g., 1, 5, 10).
• Signatures and Seal: Look for the signatures of a Federal Reserve Bank Officer and the Secretary of the Treasury (for Federal Reserve Notes) or the Treasurer of the United States (for Silver Certificates) along with a seal specific to the issuing bank.

Additional Resources:

• The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has a website with educational resources about US currency, including information about Federal Reserve Notes [Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Educational Resources].
• The Bureau of Engraving and Printing offers information on the history of US currency, including information on Greenbacks [Bureau of Engraving and Printing, History of US Currency].
• Online resources for coin collecting and paper money can provide more information on specific types of notes and their value.