A large note from The First National Bank of Seymour, Iowa. Chartered in 1906 and lasting until December of 1930 this bank put out 47,198 notes of the $10 and $20 denominations into circulation. Of those 43,652 were large and 3,546 were small. Currently 15+ L and 8+ S are listed in the NBNC. This note walked into a local shop a few months back and is currently 1 of 2 1902 Date Back $10s in the census.

The note boasts the fine purple pen signatures of Cashier, John Dudley Johnston (1858-1933) and President, David Campbell Bradley (1858-1928). David Bradley was President of several banks in Southeast Iowa during the issuing era.

The Chase National Bank of the City of New York, New York boasts a whopping 3,442+ small size notes in the NBNC. However, only 62 of them are Type-1 $5s with the B Suffix.

The Chase was the only bank in the country to issue so many Type- 1 $5s they had to roll over to the B Suffix. 57756 sheets (or 346,536 notes) were issued in this configuration. Surely more that will pop up in the future.

Cashier, William Percy Holly (1879-1957) and President, Winthrop Williams Aldrich (1885-1974)

The First National Bank of Guthrie Center, Iowa is the only obtainable bank of the two issuing charters in town. The Citizens NB is represented by a single 1902 Red Seal found in the Bayard Hoard and is now held in the Higgins Museum. The FNB assumed the circulation of the Citizens NB in 1912.

This bank was in business from 1900 to 1930 and issued only 43,076 Large Notes (and 2,418 Small) during its life. Currently 18 L and 7 S are reported in the NBNC.

The pen sigs of Cashier, Charles Herbert Sayre (1886-1949) and President, John Wasson Foster (1857-1935) really pop on this note.

While using my phone as a light to walk up to bed, I checked eBay one last time and was glad I did!

25 small size notes are listed in the NBNC for The Portage Park National Bank of Chicago, Illinois. However, only 3 of them are $5s. I have been on the hunt for a $5 since I missed out on one in a Lyn Knight sale 5 years ago. This note was listed for a very fair BIN and I snapped it up quick!

This neighborhood bank was located at 3973 N. Milwaukee Ave or 4717 Irving Park Rd - depending on which side of the building you entered. The bank was a short-lived venture. Opening in 1922 and consolidating with Charter 10179 -The Irving Park National Bank, Irving Park, IL- to form the Inland-Irving National Bank of Chicago.

The $5 was the last denomination I needed to complete my small size set from this charter. They are all pictured below.

Cashier, Ralph Spencer Davis (1891-1961) and President, Murray MacLeod (1877-1930)

Piggybacking on my Wednesday post....

The National Bank and Trust Company of Chariton, Iowa was the final operating bank of that lineage. Opening in 1930 succeeding The Chariton & Lucas County National Bank, they chose to issue $5s, $10s, and $20s in Type 1 and Type 2 formats. Notes from this bank are not rare with 51 are currently reported in the NBNC. This example walked into a local coin shop along with the large $10 shared on Wednesday.

The bank is still in operation as Midwest Heritage Bank.

Cashier, Elmer Leroy Gookin (1882-1958) and President, Luther Harrison Busselle (1865-1948)

A $10 and $20 Plain Back pair from The Chariton and Lucas County National Bank of Chariton, Iowa.

Lucas County was home to 5 issuing banks - all located in Chariton. Charter 9024 opened in 1908 as The Lucas County National Bank of Chariton. In October of 1921 the bank consolidated with Charter 6014, The Chariton National Bank. With this, the title was changed to the one presented on this pair. This bank liquidated in 1930 and was succeeded by Charter 13458, National Bank and Trust Company of Chariton.

This particular title also supplies Iowa and type collectors with high grade examples of Plain Back $10s and $20s due to a sizable run of peaches. The $20 shown here is part of that run. The $10 is an outlier that came into a local coin shop a few months ago and was new to the census. They also issued $5 Plain Backs. Those usually come in grades VF or lower as no high grade runs of those were saved.

Cashier, Elmer Leroy Gookin (1882-1958) and President, Luther Harrison Busselle (1865-1948)

The only collectible bank in town (The First NB is unreported) The Farmers National Bank of Vinton, Iowa was in business from 1897 to 1929 issuing 56,608 large size notes. Currently only 17 -including this new to the census example- are reported in the NBNC. Andy found this note for me recently. Notes show up every few years but get snapped up quickly. Grades vary from VG up to an outlier gem Plain Back. This is a more than reasonable representative for the charter.

Pen sigs of Cashier, George Dexter McElroy (1868-1943) and Vice President, William C. Ellis (1853-1928)

Continuing a Winterset theme from me this week...

A few months ago I spotted this at local show here in Des Moines. It was the only note in a case of coins. I figured it was lonely, so I took it home.

The First National Bank of Winterset, Iowa began life as The National Bank of Winterset in 1865...no notes are reported with this title. In 1883 the bank changed it's name to The First National. 102,730 large notes were issued from the bank. This note is one of 20 large reported on the bank in the NBNC.

And yes, we all know Winterset is the hometown of John Wayne.

Purple stamped sigs of Cashier, Frank Simmons Nelson (1891-1970) and President, Peter Joseph Cunningham (1854-1936)

Most of the large size notes reported on The Citizens National Bank of Winterset, Iowa are $50s and $100s which they favored from the 1882 series to the end of the large era. For the 1875 series, only the $5 denomination was issued. Currently, 22 large are recorded in the NBNC with 5 of those being Original and 1875 small denoms. I was able to snag this in a recent Stacks sale.

The bank itself lived a long life from 1872 until 1934 when it entered receivership. 55,508 large notes and 9,108 small notes were released into Central Iowa commerce. This charter is also a good source of small size $50 type notes for the state of Iowa.

This note was also part of the Albert A. Grinnell collection and sold for $20 back in 1945.

Cashier, Levi F. Smith (1837-1902) and President, Joseph J. Hutchings (1825-1888)

Despite 37 small notes (and 34 large) in the NBNC, notes from The First National Bank of Buffalo Center, Iowa are tightly held. I know of two individuals that hold many of the examples.

I was lucky enough to get this example after a friend found it at a small California coin show.

Cashier, John J. Guyer (1872-1962) and President, Clarence William Gadd (1871-1949)

Read more about the bank at the link below:

https://banknotehistory.spmc.org/wiki/First_National_Bank,_Buffalo_Center,_IA_(Charter_5154)?fbclid=IwY2xjawGGUrhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHd5UuwjkLAdqBN8gvuZKxAAJ9Z4RHUyr4JLu-wxd8xi7uHaWk2RGBPcXvQ_aem_gmKM1txzCPlD5GluBubLdA

This note comes from one of Iowa's interestingly names towns.

The First National Bank of Lime Springs, Iowa is currently represented by 7 large and 25 small notes in the NBNC. I was able to snag this example off Heritage after years of trying to get one priced at Earth money at local shows.

Cashier, Charles Earl Anderson (1894-1981) and President, Robert J. Hughes (1875-1943)

You can read more about the bank at the link below.

https://banknotehistory.spmc.org/wiki/First_National_Bank,_Lime_Springs,_IA_(Charter_6750)?fbclid=IwY2xjawGA90hleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZEAQYq1YKBE9PkjhvkpgNTSeABySuJ1Qd0AQhSLXBTQkbA-irIvN86JCA_aem_prM5jK1uFR_W3cLZ_UoMJA

I was able to get this nice looking $20 Plain Back from The First National Bank of Missouri Valley, Iowa. This bank opened in 1884 and was in operation until 1996 when it merged with The Harlan National Bank, Harlan, IA and changed its name to Midstates Bank, National Association.

This bank produced a decent number of notes: 68,570 large and 9,030 small notes. Currently, 15 large and 21 small are recorded in the NBNC. Missouri Valley is located in far western Iowa along Highway 30.

Purple stamped sigs of Cashier, Harvey Frederick Foss (1877-1957) and President, George Airis Kellogg (1872-1952)

Two banks issued small size notes in Colfax, Iowa: The First National Bank OF and The First National Bank IN. This bank, The First National Bank OF, was succeeded by the "IN". Only 13 Small are reported in the NBNC and they seem to be tightly held.

Chartered in 1904 the bank was liquidated in 1933 when the circulation was assumed by charter #13686. 42,060 large and 7,032 small were issued during it's lifetime. Most survivors are low grade, but this is a nice example for the denomination.

This note was part of the Rock River, Wyoming hoard.

Cashier, Howard Edward Bell (1896-1983) and President, Frank Elmer Boyd (1868-1950)

The First National Bank of Dexter, Iowa was a short-lived bank from 1911-1920. With a limited output of 6,616 notes consisting of 1160 sheets of $10-$10-$10-$20 1902 Date Backs and 493 sheets of $10-$10-$10-$20 1902 Plain Backs, examples from the bank are scarce. 8 examples are recorded currently in the NBNC.

This "B" position note comes from the first sheet issued by the bank. The census indicates that the "A" position is recorded as well. However, no grade is listed. Could it be a mis-report of this note? Unless it reappears there is no way to know for sure. This piece was clearly folded for storage with the only issue being a small edge tear near the President's signature - but who cares on a note like this.

Offerings of this charter are understandable few and far between. With Lyn Knight offering an example in 2003 and Heritage in 2016. What a great note to add to my Iowa holdings!

Dexter was and still is a small town just west of Des Moines in Dallas County, Iowa. During the life of the bank the town hit it's peak of population with 790 residents. Dexter was home to a shootout between Bonnie and Clyde and a local posse on June 24, 1933.

Terrific sigs of Cashier, Mont Floyd Palmer Sr. (1882-1954) and President, Dr. Frank F. Winsell (1868-1949) are the icing on the cake for this piece.

The First National Bank of Montour, Iowa was one of 10 issuing charters in Tama County, Iowa. For 29 years, from 1904-1933, the bank issued the $10 and $20 denominations in the form of 1902 Red Seals, Date & Plain Backs as well as 1929 T-1s into rural Iowa commerce. Before the bank even opened, the town reached it's peak population of 502 in 1900. Today only 203 people call it home.

With that being said, notes from the bank are scarce, but not rare. Small notes are more available and from my own experience as I see them all the time at local coin shows. The large notes are out there, but not as available. Currently the NBNC shows 14 large and 21 small recorded.

The pen signature of Cashier, Edward Ruggles Cronk (1893-1961) as well as the stamped sig of President, Edson Sidney Smith (1875-1935) have held up quite well despite the notes extensive wear.