Manufacturers' Exchange Company


The Manufacturers' Exchange Company of Bristol, Connecticut issued notes in 1814 in denominations of $2, $3, $5, and $10. Individual notes are "common" in all of these denominations but a sheet of these notes is considered quite rare (Source: Mansfield Numismatic Society).

$2 Manufacturers' Exchange Company, Bristol, CT (1814)
Image Contribution: Handini

Connecticut Obsolete Notes

By: Handini

I just discovered a great reference for obsolete notes on Connecticut, published by the Mansfield Numismatic Society. It lists a variety of obsolete notes from 1794 - 1876. Instead of using the normal 7 point scale for assessing rarities however, it lists notes as Common (C), Scarce (S), or Rare (R).

Click Here For The Connecticut Obsolete Reference

Phenix Manufacturing Company

By: Handini

The Phenix Manufacturing Company of Trenton, New Jersey issued notes in different denominations ranging between 5 cents and $3 dated June 2 or June 15 in 1837, payable in Philadelphia, PA (Source: Wait).

12.5 cents, Phenix Manufacturing Company, Trenton, NJ (1837)
Wait # 2350
Image Contribution: Handini

Catalog numbers and Rarities for the notes:

                        Wait ID                             Denomination                         Wait Rarities
                          2346                                     $0.05                                          6
                          2347                                     $0.0625                                      6
                          2348                                     $0.0625                                      6
                          2349                                     $0.10                                          6
                          2350                                     $0.125                                        6
                          2351                                     $0.125                                        6
                          2352                                     $0.125                                        6
                          2353                                     $0.25                                          6
                          2354                                     $0.25                                          6
                          2355                                     $0.50                                          6
                          2356                                     $0.50                                          5
                          2357                                     $0.50                                          6
                          2358                                     $1.00                                          6
                          2359                                     $1.00                                          5
                          2360                                     $1.00                                          5
                          2361                                     $2.00                                          5
                          2362                                     $2.00                                          5
                          2363                                     $2.00                                          5
                          2364                                     $3.00                                          5
                          2365                                     $3.00                                          5
                          2366                                     $3.00                                          5

Borough Of Shippensburg

By: Handini

The Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania issued currency during the Civil War under the Borough of Shippensburg. The notes came in denominations of 5c, 10c, 25c and 50c. All of these notes are listed in Hoober with rarities of 5 (11 - 25 notes known to exist). Shown below is a 5c note (Hoober 368-4).

5c. Farmers And Mechanics Bank, Shippensburg, PA (1862)
Hoober 368-4
Image Contribution: Handini

What is interesting is that Hoober also lists, as a separate entity, notes by the Farmers and Mechanics Bank with denominations of $1, $2, and $5. These larger denomination notes state Shippensburg, versus Borough of Shippensburg. Also, the notes from Shippensburg are dated from 1864, versus the Borough of Shippensburg (1862).

Here are the catalog numbers for the notes:

         Hoober ID                    Denomination                    Haxby ID                    Hoober Rarities
             368-4                              $0.05                                ---                                    5
             368-5                              $0.10                                ---                                    5
             368-6                              $0.25                                ---                                    5
             368-7                              $0.50                                ---                                    5
             368-1                              $1.00                        PA-620-G2a                            4
             368-2                              $2.00                        PA-620-G4a                            4
             368-3                              $5.00                        PA-620-G6a                            4


Rare NC 1861 $1 Error Note

By: Handini

Six days before I established this currency blog, I posted the following entry on my personal blog. Since this site deals with obsolete currency, it was fitting for me to republish this post on here with a couple minor edits. The reverse of this note however was previously posted on this site back in March.

It was a Friday in 1996 or 1997 when I bought the note. The coin dealer had a stack of them at $3.50 a piece. They used to sell for $10 in antique stores at the time, although they now are priced around $30. I picked out a couple nice ones from the lot. On my way home I was at a traffic light and I reached over to admire my new acquisitions when I noticed that one of the notes had an error. The One Dollar on the reverse is supposed to be aligned nicely in the center and not askew to where the One Dollar from an adjacent note is showing also.

In the spring of 1998 or 1999 I was returning home from a workday at a camp in the mountains and I stopped by a coin show along the way home. I had planned on stopping by the coin show so I had my prized note with me. I showed it to a currency dealer who I've dealt with in the past and he told me that he's never seen or heard of this error on the Civil War Issue North Carolina $1 notes before. They were printed in sheets of 12 and this could be the only survivor. He appraised it at $120. I'm sure it's value has gone up since then. Imagine what it would be worth if it was a coin and not currency.

I was so excited that on the way home I wanted to punch it. There it was, a road crossing over the highway with bushes along the ramp. I sought my chance and accelerated, thinking there's no place for a cop to hide. I only got up to about 80 mph and it was a 65 mph zone but nevertheless, my radar detecter made a sound. It was a low pitched sound that was different than the normal sound it made. I applied the brakes and as I passed the ramp, sure enough, a cop was coming down the ramp. Since he didn't see anyone breaking free from the rest of the cars around he just stayed in the right land and took the next exit. Phew. I eventually gave my radar detector to a girl that needed it more than I did.

$1 State Of North Carolina (1861 - ERROR)
Image Contribution: Handini

In the summer of 2006 or 2007 I was at a coin dealer's shop, but too cheap to buy anything as I wasn't thinking much about collecting at that time. I saw a 1861 $1 bill priced at $30 and the One Dollar on the reverse was askew. I should have bought it but the error wasn't as dramatic as mine since the One Dollar from an adjacent note wasn't printed on the reverse. Consequently, as far as I know, I still have a one of a kind error note that if it were a coin, or at least a United States Of America issue currency, I could sell it for 4 or 5 figures. Too bad it's not.

A Couple More Cape Fear Notes


On my February 10th post I mentioned that I have a couple more Cape Fear notes that still had to be scanned. I finally got around to scanning them the other day and here they are. The $3 is was issued at their branch in Salem, North Carolina and the $5 was issued at their branch in Washington, North Carolina.

$3 Bank Of Cape Fear, branch at Salem, NC (1860)
 
Haxby NC-90-G388
Image Contribution: Handini

$5 Bank Of Cape Fear, branch at Washington, NC (1859)
Haxby NC-90-G510a
Image Contribution: Handini

Colony Of Pennsylvania

By: Handini

All of the colonial notes issued by the Colony Of Pennsylvania from 1723 to 1785 are in the Pound Sterling System except for some of the notes dated 1780 and all of the notes dated 1783 (Source: Standard Catalog Of World Paper Money Specialized Issues).

4 pence, Colony Of Pennsylvania (1776)
Note the security fibers towards lower right on the reverse.
Image Contribution: Handini

4 pence, Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania (1777)
 Image Contribution: Handini

10 Shillings, Colony Of Pennsylvania (1773)
1st Issue
Image Contribution: Handini

Most of the colonial PA notes from the 1770's are relatively inexpensive as far as colonials go.

Liberty Loan

By: Handini:

The Liberty Loan was used to finance World War I. United States Treasury bonds are a relic of the act of congress at issuing these loans. Overall there were 4 issues of Liberty Loans as well as a Victory Loan. The first and second issues occurred in 1918 and the third and fourth occurred in 1918 (Source: Wikipedia). A much scarcer variety from 1917 also exists (Source: Heritage).

Shown below is a $1 coupon from the Second Liberty Loan of WWI.

$1 Bond Coupon, United States Of America (1917)
Payable May, 1919
Image Contribution: Handini

Although this is a United States issue, and none of the currency issued by the United States of America for circulation since 1861 are rendered obsolete, nevertheless since this can no longer be redeemed it is considered obsolete. Bonds however are more of a branch of collecting known as scripophily rather than numismatics.

A $5 Note From The Shreveport Branch Of The Citizens' Bank


The Citizens' Bank operated from 1833 - 1911 (Source: Haxby) so it survived the Civil War, unlike most banks. Notes from The Citizens' Bank of Louisiana are quite common as far as broken bank notes go, and are easy to obtain.  Shown below is a $5 note from Shreveport which would be classified as Haxby LA-15-G60a except the reverse shown for the note, found on page 519 of volume 1, is different. There are other notes also where the reverse is different then what is shown in Haxby for the note, such as a $5 note from the Bank Of East Tennessee.

$5 Citizens' Bank Of Louisiana (1860)
Haxby LA-15-G60a
Image Contribution: Charles Plancon

Another interesting thing about the $5 note shown above is the fact that it is not signed and yet it is not quite a remainder note. It has the date and serial number written down but never managed to get signed by the Cashier or President of the bank.

Confederate States Of America $20


The following are the $20 Confederate notes in my collection. The first two are from 1861 and the 3rd is a more common 1864 issue. The second twenty shown (T-20) is in uncirculated condition and authentic. Counterfeits of this note are also available to collectors and generally sell for about a hundred in mint condition. Authentic notes of this variety are worth considerably more. Below the vertical Twenty on the right side of the central vignette is the number 7. The counterfeited notes generally have a plate number of 6, and sometimes 9. To easily distinguish a genuine from counterfeit T-20 note however, simply look at the faces of cupid and hope on the notes. The authentic ones have slight smiles whereas the contemporary counterfeit ones have frowns on their faces (Source: Heritage).

$20 Confederate States Of America (1861)
(T-18)
 Image Contribution: Handini

$20 Confederate States Of America (1861)
(T-20)
 Image Contribution: Handini

$20 Confederate States Of America (1864)
Image Contribution: Handini

Merchants And Planters Bank

By: Handini

The Merchants and Planters Bank of Savannah, Georgia was established in 1856 and failed in the 1860's. It issued both regular notes, and then later fractional notes during the Civil War. Of the regular issues, denominations ranged from $1 to $100, with 4 varieties of $1 notes, 4 varieties of $2 notes, 1 variety of $3 notes, 2 varieties $10 notes, 2 varieties of $20 notes, 2 varieties $50 notes, 2 varieties of $100 notes. A counterfeit variety of $20 notes is also listed as well as an unattributed non-genuine note (Source: Haxby).

$1 Merchants And Planters Bank, Savannah, GA (1857)
Haxby GA-315-G2b
Criswell M-734
Image Contribution: Handini


The regular issues of notes from this bank according to Haxby:

                          Haxby ID                                            Denomination
                          GA-315-G2                                                   $1
                          GA-315-G2a                                                 $1
                          GA-315-G2b                                                 $1
                          GA-315-G2c                                                 $1
                          GA-315-G4                                                   $2
                          GA-315-G4a                                                 $2
                          GA-315-G4b                                                 $2
                          GA-315-G4c                                                 $2
                          GA-315-G6                                                   $3
                          GA-315-G8a                                                 $5
                          GA-315-G8b                                                 $5
                          GA-315-G10a                                               $10
                          GA-315-G10b                                               $10
                          GA-315-G12a                                               $20
                          GA-315-C12a                                               $20
                          GA-315-G12b                                               $20
                          GA-315-G14a                                               $50
                          GA-315-G14b                                               $50
                          GA-315-G16a                                               $100
                          GA-315-G16b                                               $100
                          GA-315-N10                                                 $20


The Criswell catalog numbers:

                          Criswell ID                                            Denomination
                              M-730                                                         $1
                              M-734                                                         $1
                              M-736                                                         $1
                              M-740                                                         $2
                              M-746                                                         $2
                              M-756                                                         $3
                              M-760                                                         $5
                              M-763                                                         $5
                              M-766                                                         $10
                              M-768                                                         $10
                              M-771                                                         $20
                              M-774                                                         $20
                              M-778                                                         $50
                              M-780                                                         $50
                              M-786                                                         $100
                              M-789                                                         $100



Bank Of Beaver County


The Bank of Beaver County of New Brighton, Pennsylvania was established in 1858 and became the National Bank of Beaver County in 1864, then closed in 1884 (Source: Hoober). Hoober lists denominations of $5 and $10 for this bank with 3 varieties of $5 notes and 2 varieties of $10 notes. All of these notes have rarity values of 4.

The Hoober catalog numbers of these notes are as follows:

                             Hoober ID                         Denomination                         Ink Colors
                                 265-1                                      $5                                       Black
                                 265-2                                      $5                                       Black and Red
                                 265-3                                      $5                                       Black and Red
                                 265-4                                      $10                                     Black
                                 265-5                                      $10                                     Black and Red

Haxby, on the other hand, claims that there were only 4 total varieties from this bank, two $5 notes and two $10 notes. He also lists 3 other varieties as altered notes however (Source: Haxby). This makes a total of 4 different $5 notes, 2 different $10 notes and 1 $20 note for a grand total of 7 different notes to make a set, with 4 genuine notes and 3 altered notes.


                             Haxby ID                         Denomination                         Ink Colors
                             PA-340-G2                                $5                                     Black
                             PA-340-G2a                              $5                                     Black and Orange
                             PA-340-G4                                $10                                   Black
                             PA-340-G4a                              $10                                   Black and Orange
                             PA-340-A5                                $5                                      Black and Red
                             PA-340-A10                              $5                                      Black and Brown-Orange
                             PA-340-A15                              $20                                    Black and Red


Shown below is a $5 proof note from the Bank of Beaver County. This is Haxby PA-340-G2, which is listed as SENC, surviving example not confirmed. Moreover, Haxby claims that there were probably only proofs of this variety, as shown below.

$5 Bank Of Beaver County, New Brighton, PA (Proof)
Hoober 265-1
Haxby PA-340-G2
Image Contribution: Handini

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