March 29, 1932, bank President Percival Chrystie was found shot and killed in his home. He was also President of Taylor-Warton steel company, NJ board of education committee, on the Board of Conservation and Development, and was on his 3rd marriage.

I would like to find out more about this banks history as I grew up only 10 minutes away from the bank. Was Percy's murder ever solved? Are there any notes with his signature? It's not easy to find info about some of these small town banks on the internet so you really have to depend on town historians. I think that's what makes me enjoy National Bank notes that much more. It's a hobby with deep roots in local culture and is very educational.

I believe the bank became a First Union bank for a while in the 1980s (please correct me if I'm wrong) and is now a liquor store. I do remember visiting the building with my parents as a child and I believe it was a bank.

Taylor-Warton property was purchased by Custom Alloy and that is where my father made his living. He used to bring me there sometimes as a child. We would search the property together for old bullets and projectiles from previous wars that were made there. They made quite a bit of steel products for military use.

We're going to make our big National Bank Note announcement on here first - either this coming week or the following.

There were 5 issuing banks in Chariton, Iowa. 4 of the 5 were in the same structural family. Either they merged with, absorbed, or succeeded each other.

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 50 are currently reported in the NBNC. This example is 1 of 9 Type 2 $20s currently reported. It is just a nice example that had the right price.

The bank is still in operation as Midwest Heritage Bank.

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

The Rockwell City National Bank, Rockwell City, Iowa was the only one of the two issuers in town to make it to the small size era. Only 2 large notes are recorded in the NBNC, making small notes the most viable option for those looking for an example on the charter. However, with only 12 small recorded that becomes a task on it's own.

Chartered in 1920 and liquidated in January of 1931, the bank was never a huge issuer. Favoring $10s and $20s only 5,932 large and 2,070 small notes passed over the counter. Of those, 372 were small size $20s. I purchased this example off eBay several months ago. While the back exhibits some staining, I still feel this is a nice small size representative.

Cashier, Earl Bruce Lemen (1899-1986) and President, Henry Parsons (1857-1932)

While large notes from The First National Bank of Pomeroy, Iowa are fairly available with semi-frequent offerings and 21 recorded in the NBNC, small notes a few and far between with only 6 currently reported. Which isn't surprising since they only issued $5s in small size to the tune of 13,350 notes.

Pomeroy has always been a small Iowa town. The population never cracked 950 people during the issuing era. Today the town is still a sleepy hamlet. You can read more about the bank at the link below.

https://banknotehistory.spmc.org/wiki/First_National_Bank,_Pomeroy,_IA_(Charter_6063)

Cashier, Frank John Oehmke (1890-1958) and President, William Christian McCulloch (1862-1936)

A local coin shop call netted this Value Back from The First National Bank of Essex, Iowa.

Of the 23 recorded large notes, a surprising 5 are $10 Value Backs. 5,418 $10 Value Backs entered commerce in Southwest Iowa. This on circulated hard, but remains presentable. Unfortunately, the signatures are lost to time.

This bank was charted in 1901 and lasted all the way to 2011 when it merged into Bank Iowa in Clarinda, Iowa.

Charter 2327 started life as The Second National Bank of Dubuque, Iowa in 1876. In 1923 it consolidated with the Dubuque National Bank. This resulted in an appropriate title change to The Consolidated National Bank of Dubuque, Iowa.

Issuing only $5s in large and small, currently 53 large are reported of the 108,956 issued. They entered receivership in July of 1932.

This bank is also one of two Iowa charters to have engraved officer signatures on the notes. The other was The Valley National Bank of Des Moines.

Cashier, Joseph William Meyer (1883-1937) and President, Judson Keith Deming (1858-1953)

A note I've been excited to share is this T-1 $5 on the American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, Illinois.

You may be curious to why I am excited over a bank with 84+ small size reported. The reason is this is the FIRST T-1 $5 with this title to be reported. Andy found this for me at the Denver ANA last month and my only response to him was "F*****g buy it!" This note made its proper debut at the NBN Conference at Heritage last week.

Possibly there are more out there hidden in dealer "common" inventory and if so, I'd love to see them. I have been told Track and Price lists another T-1 $5, but upon further research it is actually the first title.

This charter started as the Straus National Bank and Trust Company and changed the name in January of 1933. This left limited time to receive T-1 notes with the new title. Only 1642 sheets of T-1 $5s were delivered before the switch to T-2s. In fact, T-1s of $10s and $20s also had limited runs of 526 and 212 sheets respectively.

Cashier, John Henry Krafft (1882-1958) and President, Samuel Jones Tilden Straus (1876-1942)

While not a scarce bank, this large example from The Farmers National Bank of Aurelia, Iowa boasts eye appeal for its grade and some nice signatures.

16 large are recorded in the NBNC for this Cherokee County bank that was in business from 1910 to 1984. Two banks issued in town, with this charter being more frequently encountered. The bank still stands at the SW corner of 2nd and Main…and still maintains its previous identity above the door.

Nice pen sigs of Assistant Cashier, Ray Jennings Parrott (1897-1982) and President, Peter Daniel Wine (1859-1940)

Osage, Iowa had 2 issuing charters. This charter operated under two titles. The Farmers National Bank of Osage, Iowa was the first title of 4885. It was only used on large size notes and examples a very scarce. Currently 5 notes are recorded in the NBNC with this title. 2 of them are held in the Higgins Museum. This note was a welcome new addition to the census and my collection.

Despite opening in 1893, the bank only issued 11,808 large notes. Keeping a circulation around $13,000 until 1925 when circulation dropped to $0 made large examples scarce from the time they were issued. The bank did pick up issuance in the small size era, and 39 small notes with the banks second title are reported.

The pen sig of Cashier, Elmer Charles Swanson (1892-1957) remains, while the Presidents has faded.

While there are 22 recorded on The First National Bank of Adel, Iowa, offerings seem to be scattered. I have never found one at an Iowa coin show in my years of attending. That's why I was glad this new to the census example appeared.

This bank was short-lived. Only in operation from 1908 to 1928 when it was liquidated and absorbed by Adel State Bank. Issuing 65,852 notes spanning all three 1902 Series types, they favored the $5, $10, and $20 denominations. Over half of the survivors are $5s. Grades of the recorded range from About Good to Uncirculated. However, many of the examples lack signatures, even the high grade. Looking at currently available scans, this example is the only one with legible signatures.

Adel is located in Dallas County just west of Des Moines. During the issuing era the population was around 1,500 people. Recently the population has increased drastically due to the suburbs of Des Moines becoming hot real estate commodities for those wanting to work in the city, but enjoy a small town. Adel is also home to Iowa's only billionaire, Harry Stine.

Purple stamped sigs of Lloyd Ruby Roberts (1886-1960) and his father, William Roberts (1846-1928)

20 notes make up the small size census for The First National Bank of Manilla, Iowa. A high survival rate considering only 3,180 were issued before the bank entered receivership in January of 1933.

Manilla was an important division point for The Milwaukee Road Railroad which connected the Omaha main to the Sioux City division. During it's heyday the population was near 1200 people. Today that figure has been halved. It was home to 2 national banks. This was the only to issue small size.

Cashier, Robert Charles Jackson (1870-1936) and President, Edward Saunders (1859-1943)

Of the 29 large notes reported on The Bedford National Bank, Bedford, Iowa, this is the first $10 1882 Date Back to surface. This note walked into a local shop late last year.

1860 sheets of 10-10-10-20 1882 Date Backs were printed. This is the second shortest type issuance by the bank behind the 10-10-10-20 Brown Backs.

Bedford, Iowa was home to 2 national banks. However, Charter 2298 The First National Bank, is unique and is in the Higgins Museum.

Though the signatures have faded, the blue overprint remains quite vibrant.

A better Iowa small 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.

17 small are recorded in the NBNC, but you don't see them offered that often. This example walked into a local coin shop a few months ago. Aside from an unfortunate tear, it is a solid example.

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

I'm excited to share this note from The First National Bank of Richland, Iowa.

3 years ago I was able to purchase a $20 1882 Date Back from this bank. At the time there were only 2 reported notes that had been known for over 25 years. With one in the Higgins, I had to jump at it or I may never find another. The bank had a TINY issuance and that is explained in the next paragraph. I was amazed I was able to acquire such a rarity! Then....

Last month 2 became 3 when this $10 1882 Date Back showed up on eBay. Not only was I surprised to see it on eBay, it also had a sane BIN price. After the purchase was complete I asked the seller where it came from. They said it walked into their shop in Virginia with a bunch of "junk" large type notes. You just never know where these things will show up. This is the first $10 denomination of any time to surface. The previously reported notes are both $20 1882 Date Backs.

This is a true Iowa rarity from a town most people-even Iowans-have never heard of. The FNB of Richland, Iowa was chartered in 1900 and liquidated in August of 1919. During that time they had a very limited output of notes. Issuing only the $10 and $20 denominations they produced: 720 sheets of 1882 Brown Backs, 700 sheets of 1882 Date Backs, and 7 sheets of 1882 Value Backs for a total of 5,708 notes with a face value of $71,350. That is a tiny output for nearly 20 years of business. Additionally their total circulation was never more than $10k.

The fact 3 notes exists from this bank is a treasure. This note also has condition going for it as well.

Excellent pen sigs of Cashier, George Cornelius Reames (1868-1955) and Vice President, Edwin Stanton Wolcott (1862-1945)