First National Bank Of Cooperstown, NY

 By: Handini

Although the Civil War brought an end to the Bank Note Era and the rise in National Bank Notes which are still legal tender and therefore not suitable subject matter for this blog, these Banks issued checks which have similar appeal to earlier obsolete notes.

Checks from the First National Bank of Cooperstown, New York, exhibit a beautiful vignette of a hunter and his dog. Below shows a progression in the style of these checks from 1880 to 1916. All but one of these checks appear to be for deposit in the payee's account at the Chase National Bank, at least that's what I'm guessing by what is indicated on the check.

Unlike the Bank Of Cooperstown (1853 - 1864) which became the Second National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (Source: Haxby) with a charter number of 223, notes from the First National Bank, established in 1830 (Source: http://www.bankencyclopedia.com/The-First-National-Bank-of-Cooperstown-7011-Cooperstown-New-York.html), are unlisted in Haxby so it is unlikely that they issued their own currency before the Civil war. Their charter number was 280.

While these checks are from the First National Bank of Cooperstown, the Second National Bank of Cooperstown seems more interesting to collect since a collector can find obsolete notes from what became that bank, as well as National Bank Notes. Nevertheless, these checks are fairly common and sell in the price range from the cost of a venti Latte, to the price of a Big Mac in Las Vegas.

The First National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (1880)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

The First National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (1881)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

The First National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (1902)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

The First National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (1915)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

The First National Bank of Cooperstown, NY (1916)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

The Georgia Show Case Company - Good Lines And Correct Build

 By: Handini

An old check from 1924 for $30 from the Georgia Show Case Company of Montgomery Alabama. I did not find much information on this item but it says on the front that they were manufacturers of store, bank, and office fixtures.

The check was for their account at the Alabama Bank And Trust Company, and has some rubber stamp impressions on the reverse from the City National Bank of Selma, Alabama, and The Fourth National Bank of Montgomery Alabama.

$30 Check - The Georgia Show Case Company of Montgomery, AL (1924)
 Old Check
Image Contribution: Handini

There is an interesting vignette on the top left corner of the check. It shows a lady taking a dive and it says: "Good Lines And Correct Build". She is wearing a red swimming cap and a black full swimsuit. Waves can be ween splashing in the background. Very nostalgic of the time period.

GOOD LINES AND CORRECT BUILD
Image Contribution: Handini

The Second National Bank

 By: Handini

National Banks got started soon after the demise of the "Obsolete Banknote Era", and their notes are still legal tender, and hence not obsolete. Nevertheless, people wanting to supplement their obsolete note collection can incorporate old checks such as the following one shown below from the Second National Bank of Ravenna, Ohio.

The Second National Bank of Ravenna, OH has been around since 1854 (Source: BankEncyclopedia.com), and bears the charter number of 350 on its National Bank Notes. Although, these notes are still legal tender, once can acquire checks from the bank to supplement their thirst for obsolete notes. The one shown below includes a nice revenue stamp as well.

Now that I have the following check, I am on a quest to search for another one, but from the First National Bank of Ravenna.

$8.75 Check - The Second National Bank of Ravenna, OH (1889)
 Old Bank Check
Image Contribution: Handini

National Park Bank


National Banks got started soon after the demise of the "Obsolete Banknote Era", and their notes are still legal tender, and hence not obsolete. Nevertheless, people wanting to supplement their obsolete note collection can incorporate old checks such as the following one shown below from the National Park Bank.

The National Park Bank was started in 1856, got bought out by Wells Fargo in 1911, and then became incorporated into the Chase National Bank in 1929 (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Bank). According to the Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money by Chester L. Krause and Robert F. Lemke, this bank had the charter number of 891. Larger sized notes are more common than the small size ones (considering the late 1920's is when the size of our paper notes shrunk and when the bank ceased to be).

The left side of the check bears the inscription: CLIFTON MANUFACTURING CO. and it would be interesting to research than company and their relations with the National Park Bank. Perhaps they existed before the Civil War and printed their own money. I guess as a collector I'm being too hopeful.

While the bank no longer exists, and it's currency is not an obsolete broken bank note, but legal tender, their checks are no longer valid and hence obsolete.

$25 Check - The National Park Bank (1889)
 Old Bank Check
Image Contribution: Handini

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