Dunlap is tough, one bank western Iowa town. Four banks issued in Harrison County with Dunlap being the toughest by a country mile. Only 9 notes are reported in the NBNC with 1 in the Higgins Museum. The FNB of Dunlap opened in 1889, bowed out in 1926, and was absorbed by the Dunlap Savings Bank. The bank favored $5s, $10s, and $20s issuing 54,564 notes spread across 1882 Brown Backs and 1902 Date and Plain Backs.

This example is the first 1902 Date Back to come forward and in a grade that is typical of survivors from the charter. Despite ample circulation the note presents itself well.

Strong stamped purple sigs of Cashier, Arthur Nathan Jordan (1873-1954) and his father President, Thomas Frederick Jordan (1841-1927)

This note from The First National Bank of Audubon, Iowa showed up on eBay back in February. It was listed for an insanely low BIN.....and I missed it by 15 seconds. About a week later it showed back up with BIN closer to retail, but still high. After some negotiations, we agreed on a price and it came home to me.

12 large notes (and 13 small) are listed in the NBNC. However, 2 of those are in the Higgins Museum. Auction appearances are sporadic at best so I was glad I was able to snag this ...and a nice example at that! This is currently the only $20 Date Back reported of 1900 issued.

In business from 1893-1933, the bank issued 53,248 large and 3,540 small size notes. After liquidation in January 1933, it was succeeded by the First State Bank of Audubon. It was one of 3 issuing banks in Audubon County in Western Iowa.

Nice pen sig of Cashier, Frank Stevens Watts (1861-1918) and stamped sig of Edwin Stanton Van Gorder (1871-1937)

A neat pair from The First National Bank of Ayrshire, Iowa.

Currently 10 large and a single small make up the reported survivors in the NBNC. The $20 comes from a small run of higher grade 82 Date Back $20s and the 02 Plain Back sports some interesting, but legit sigs.

The bank was open from 1900 to 1930. During that time the population barely crested 350 people. Today only about 140 call it home. So it is no surprise that output was low. Only 14,152 large and 1,404 small size were issued. Circulation was also kept to a tight $8,000 during it's life.

Ayrshire is located in Palo Alto County in Northwest Iowa.

Cashier, Joseph M. Kelly (1876-1944) appears on both notes.

Vice President, John Sherlock (1851-1917) signs the 1882 Date Back

President, Michael Lawal Brown (1846-1929) appears on the 1902 Plain Back

All the issuing banks of Clinton County, Iowa. This is currently the only set that can be assembled in private hands as the other reported note on Charter 4536 is in the Higgins Museum.

A "two-state" bank. I do like my Eastern Iowa banks like The First National Bank of Wyoming, IA. Wyoming was in our athletic conference in high school so it holds some memories for me.

The bank was chartered in 1872 and bowed out in 1931. Rural Jones County never required a lot currency so issuance and circulation was never high. Not surprisingly, only 15 large and 9 small are recorded in the NBNC. This is one of the nicer smalls recorded with only a minor scuff at the lower left being the only "distraction"...but who cares?

Cashier, Roy Leslie Truesdell (1894-1958) and President, Park Chamberlain (1877-1948) Park's signature appears on some Anamosa, IA large notes from the era as he was Cashier and later VP of the Anamosa National Bank.

Read more about the bank here:

https://banknotehistory.spmc.org/wiki/First_National_Bank,_Wyoming,_IA_(Charter_1943)

25 notes currently make up the small size population recorded in the NBNC from The First National Bank of Thornton, Iowa.

While 25 notes comes across as common, this note stands out. Why? Only 60 Type 2 $20s were printed. This is the first of those to come forward. These "sub 100" notes are fun to find and collect.

Thornton is a small town by Mason City. It's population never crested 400 during the issuing era. The FNB of Thornton opened in 1906 and was liquidated in 1940 - Succeeded by The First State Bank of Thornton.

Cashier, Paul Leslie James (1889-1957) and President, Walter V. Crapser (1863-1938)

A couple of pieces of ephemera from my home county that I bought off eBay recently.

First is an envelope from 1882 addressed to the Cedar County Bank in Tipton. The sender if William Durant Gardner Cottrell (1833-1906) who was the first President of The First National Bank of Clarence, Iowa when it opened in 1905.

Second is letterhead from The First National Bank of Clarence, Iowa featuring a vignette of the building (still standing) and a list of the bank officers. Based on those officers, this letterhead is from 1923-1924.

Included below is a large note from my collection featuring the signatures of Cashier, Richard O. Hoyer (1881-1946) and President, Charles E. Read (1856-1935) and a small note with promoted-to-Cashier, Ernest Charles Hasselbusch (1892-1953)

A better Iowa large note is this example from The First National Bank of Hubbard, Iowa.

This bank was chartered in 1907 and opened on New Year's Day 1908. On Dec. 30th, 1931 they absorbed Charter 6435 - The First National Bank of Radcliffe, Iowa. However, they entered receivership in October of 1933.

Only 8 large are recorded in the NBNC, but you don't see them offered that often. I picked this up off Heritage a few months ago.

Nice, solid sigs of Cashier, Theodor Paul Guenther (1888-1973) and President, Simon Henry Boeke (1874-1948)

If anybody on here beat me by seconds to that Audubon, Iowa 1902 Date Back $20 that was on eBay last week.......please reach out and let's see if we can make a deal.

Awhile ago I got a hair to find a matching series and charter note for Charter 1929 - The First National Bank of Shelby, Ohio.

I purchased the T-1 $5 off a random coin dealer's website a year or so ago. The T-2 popped up on Heritage late last year and I had to snap it up!

Only 3 T-2 notes are reported on the bank; 2 $5s and a $20. This $5 T-2 is ex. Peter Huntoon. Now I have a T-1 and T-2 example of the same denomination making for a cool pair!

Cashier, Franz Kester Hall (1884-1959) and President, Harrison Warner Steele (1849-1938)

A note I purchased from Tim Kyzivat back in 2012.

One of Iowa's great town names - Strawberry Point. The First National Bank of Strawberry Point, Iowa was a large-only bank in business from 1908-1929. The bank also had a small output. Only 19,068 notes were issued over that period. As of this writing, only 10 examples are recorded in the NBNC.

The examples I have seen usually have no or one signature. This example has two: the purple stamped signature of Cashier, Miner F. Harwood (1878-1956) and pen signature of Vice President, Herman H. Opperman (1862-1942).

13 banks in Iowa issued 1929 T-1 $50s and no banks issued T-2s. I am ONE away from a complete set with this acquisition note from The Centerville National Bank, Centerville, Iowa.

5 banks issued in Appanoose County with all but 1 located in Centerville.

This note is one of 9 $50s in the NBNC of the 26 reported total small size.

Cashier, Clarence Albert Peatman (1876-1942) and President, Frank Smith Payne (1869-1933)

Another note from my mutt file...

14 reported large size notes from The Security National Bank of Cherokee, Iowa are reported in the NBNC. This piece sure has seen its share of use - but don't you love it?

The bank was only open from 1915-1930 and issuance was relatively low. 31,628 large size and 2,532 small size notes bearing the $10 and $20 denominations were passed over the counter.

The signature of President, William Postill Goldie (1857-1938) managed to survive the use and abuse.

I love a mutt National because it has character and did it's job - especially if it comes from a scarce bank.

The Farmers National Bank of Allerton, Iowa is a relatively obscure Wayne County charter with very few public appearances over the years. The bank was also short lived, lasting from 1908-1926. They issued only 4787 total sheets of 1902 Date and Plain Backs split almost evenly in the middle of the sheet run. Currently 8 notes are recorded in the NBNC.

This is also the only obtainable charter in town. The First National Bank is represented by a single note that is in the Higgins Museum.

I have a few more ridden hard and put away wet Nationals purchased recently that will pop up in the next few weeks or so.

Really nice pen sigs of Cashier, Harlan Samuel Shields (1882-1950) and President, Delmar E. Williams (1870-1952)