St. Louis, MO - Mechanics' Bank, at their Bank in St. Louis $1 June 21, 1861 MO-20 G14a SENC. PCGS About Good 3 Apparent. This is one of the rarest banks from Missouri, and issued notes are nearly unheard of. A few proofs appeared in the 1990 ABN Sale, including a single-note $500 proof sheet. There was also a $20A-$20B-$20C-$20D proof sheet in the 1981 Vacca sale (each with a portrait of the ill-fated Joseph Charless, slain on his way to the office in 1859 by the disgraced, convicted embezzler he testified against). However, issued notes are extremely rare. There are less than a half-dozen known to us. This 1861 engraved-date note is from the unregistered Civil War series which did not require a bank commissioner's signature. The great rarity of these issued notes is reflected by their nearly complete redemption by the bank, other Missouri banks, and the succeeding National Banks that opened later in the war. Though this note is rough all around the perimeter and only 70% intact, it might be unique. The design is described in Haxby, but no notes are illustrated. A red tint plate was used by the National Bank Note Company. An allegorical female with attributes of Liberty, America, and Plenty stands at left (as used on the Confederate $100 T3 Montgomery notes), a very large screaming eagle is at center right, and an oval portrait of Henry Clay is at lower right. Plate B. No. 6192. Faded signatures. Grading notes \"Edge Damage,\" but enough of the note is still present to warrant desirability. This has been in the collection for decades and could never be replaced. Its high rarity makes it eminently collectible. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society \n\n
From Newman VIII (Heritage Auctions, 11/2017), lot 29435, realized $89. Image and description courtesy of Heritage Auctions, https://ha.com.
"},{"label":"Collecting Area","value":["Numismatics"]},{"label":"Collection Name","value":["Image Collections"]}],"description":"Lot 29435","sequences":[{"@type":"sc:Sequence","canvases":[{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/7bcae054-dc1c-4269-ad76-1143a7cc590d/canvas/_1","@type":"sc:Canvas","label":"29435_3547011795o","height":807,"width":1645,"images":[{"@type":"oa:Annotation","motivation":"sc:painting","resource":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e2a97d3a-ca28-4f7b-bfd7-b97b80f6f6a9/full/full/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","format":"image/jpeg","service":{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/context.json","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e2a97d3a-ca28-4f7b-bfd7-b97b80f6f6a9","profile":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/level2.json"},"height":807,"width":1645},"on":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/7bcae054-dc1c-4269-ad76-1143a7cc590d/canvas/_1","metadata":[{"label":"Medium","value":["Currency"]}]}],"thumbnail":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e2a97d3a-ca28-4f7b-bfd7-b97b80f6f6a9/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","height":500,"width":500}},{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/7bcae054-dc1c-4269-ad76-1143a7cc590d/canvas/_2","@type":"sc:Canvas","label":"29435_3547011795r","height":1084,"width":1683,"images":[{"@type":"oa:Annotation","motivation":"sc:painting","resource":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e169b8cb-0332-4012-9baa-a9660e757d03/full/full/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","format":"image/jpeg","service":{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/context.json","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e169b8cb-0332-4012-9baa-a9660e757d03","profile":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/level2.json"},"height":1084,"width":1683},"on":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/7bcae054-dc1c-4269-ad76-1143a7cc590d/canvas/_2","metadata":[{"label":"Medium","value":["Currency"]}]}],"thumbnail":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e169b8cb-0332-4012-9baa-a9660e757d03/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","height":500,"width":500}}]}],"thumbnail":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/e2a97d3a-ca28-4f7b-bfd7-b97b80f6f6a9/full/300,300/0/default.jpg","logo":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/washu/iiif/logo"}