By: Handini
While most antebellum obsolete notes are unlisted in Haxby because they were issued by merchants, and companies which were not banks, the Somerset And Worcester Savings Bank of Salisbury, Maryland, is not found in Haxby. Oddly enough however, they can be found listed in Criswell. These are not the scarcest obsolete notes, judging by their current values, so it's kind of unusual for it to have been left out of Haxby.
Nevertheless, Criswell reports denominations of $1, $2, $3, and $5. These produce 8 varieties, two of each denomination. Each of these denominations can be found in either red and black or green and black. Criswell's catalog numbers are as follows:
Denomination Green and Black Red and Black
$1 S-701 S-704
$2 S-708 S-711
$3 S-714 S-716
$5 S-720 S-722
Shown below, however is a $5 note from the Somerset And Worcester Savings Bank from 1862 that lacks a green Five or a red Five. Hence, there are also unlisted varieties without the green or red overprint. While notes with a red or green overprint are more "common" and readily available in uncirculated condition, the all black variety as shown below is scarcer.
$5 Somerset And Worcester Savings Bank, Salisbury, MD (1862)
Image Contribution: Handini
Can someone please email me at dtwigg@govconnection.com and tell me if teh Somerset and Worcester Bank issued a $1 Note in 1862 with a blank back? I am hoping iis not a fake but I am afraid it is. If you can help, I would appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteDenny Twigg
Yes, The back's of the BLACK Notes & the ones with the RED Overprint are blank.
DeleteThey did issue notes with a Red overprint and one-sided. If the paper feels very thin and the signatures are handwritten with a fountain pen, and not a modern ball-point pen or felt-tipped pen then chances are that it is real.
DeleteA photo or scan of the note would help since many modern day copies sold at souvenir shops, etc. are easy to recognize as copies even from a photograph.
Hi there,
DeleteI recently purchased a few different somerset worcesters in $1, $3 and $5 denominations of the Green and Black Type. On these notes, I noticed each have a small (1/4") orange symbol stamped on the backs. The symbol somewhat resembles a distorted 'Pi' symbol. The notes have signatures/#'s but are CU and probably leftovers. Do you know what this symbol may be or stand for? Or know of any others like it?
Any help would quell my curiosity. thank you!
-Anthony
Do you have a picture of the symbol? Sometimes rubber stamp impressions can be found on notes. Many Confederate notes had stamps from various places on them. I have a $5 note from the Waubeek Bank which has a blu "O" to the left of the serial number stamped on it. I'm not sure if someone stamped the pi symbol to identify the note or to indicate it being deposited somewhere. It just adds mystery to the notes as to where they could have circulated in their day.
DeleteIt really depends on the overall condition of the notes.
ReplyDelete