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STLNATS
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I wanted to show what my STL small collection looks like after purchasing the 70th variety from the recent Newman sale. The background of the "set" is given here: background.
In summary, there are a total of 12 banks of issue in St Louis City. A complete collection of denominations and type I & II for these banks accounts for 41 notes, an accomplishment by my friend Bob Cochran some years ago. Bank officer changes accounts for an additional 14 notes. Seven banks have distinct title and signature overprint varieties adding an additional 15 notes for a total of 41+14+15 = 70. I validated the latter two types of varieties by not only looking at (a lot of) notes, but also I had access to the Comptroller of the Currency's Bond and Currency ledgers at the National Archives for serial number print ranges. In addition, I had access to a nifty little ledger which recorded officer and title change orders; it was then an easy task to identify which printings occurred after the change orders. One never says never in these things, but I'm as sure as I reasonably can be that 70 notes represents the "complete" set. If you have a STL note different than show here, please let me know (and sell it to me!
).
Regarding the 15 overprint varieties, what is probably the definitive article explaining why these varieties were produced appeared in the Jan/Feb 2014 Paper Money. Just to summarize, to manage the transition from Large to Small sized nationals, the BEP selected an outside contractor (BBS, Barnhart Brothers & Spindler) to produce overprint plates (for titles, charter numbers and bank officer sigs) for some 8000+ banks. The idea was that BEP could then focus on printing the vast number of base notes needed and then apply the overprints to complete NBNs after as overprint plates were delivered. Unfortunately BBS quickly fell behind the delivery schedule so BEP solicited the help of the GPO to produce interim plates. These interim plates were only used for the first printing of notes for many banks with charter number of 9xxx and above. Key identifiers distinguishing notes printed from these "GPO" plates include one or more larger officer signatures, different title layouts, a lower charter number at left and a variety of fonts not used than the more limited range used on the official BBS plates. Not all notes necessarily contain every indicator.
OK, so enough of that, on to the notes!
First National Bank in STL, charter 170 Although the largest issuer of NBNs in STL, the bank only issued $10 and $20 type Is and may be the easiest bank to obtain, even in nice condition
Type 1: Allen and Smith signatures
Mercantile-Commerce National Bank in STL, charter 4178
Type 1: Alexander and Lonsdale signatures
Type 2, variety 1: Hanser and Lonsdale signatures Change of cashier
Type 2, variety 2: Hanser and Hemingway signatures Change of president
The National City Bank of STL, charter 11989
Type 1, variety 1: Stone and Edwards signatures GPO plate, easily distinguished by "THE" in the first line of the bank's title. Sigs are also larger.
Type 1, variety 2: Stone and Edwards signatures BBS plate. Bank title is more rectangular in appearance and have "THE NATIONAL" in the first line.
The Security National Bank Savings and Trust Company of STL, charter 12066 Only $5 notes were issued by this bank
Type 1, variety 1: Denby and Moser signatures GPO plate, easily distinguished by the very small font used in the bank's title. Sigs are also larger.
Type 1, variety 2: Denby and Moser signatures BBS plate, use of "standard" BBS fonts in bank title
Type 2, variety 1: Denby and Moser signatures
Type 2, variety 2: Denby and Davis signatures change of president
St. Louis National Bank St Louis, charter 12216 Only $5 notes were issued by this bank
Type 1, variety 1: RR Karraker and TN Karraker signatures GPO plate, the president's larger sig is the most easily distinguished characteristic
Type 1, variety 2: RR Karraker and TN Karraker BBS plate
Type 1, variety 3: GW Karraker and TN Karraker Change of cashier. Unfortunately I don't have serial number ranges, but think only a few hundred sheets with this sig were produced.
In summary, there are a total of 12 banks of issue in St Louis City. A complete collection of denominations and type I & II for these banks accounts for 41 notes, an accomplishment by my friend Bob Cochran some years ago. Bank officer changes accounts for an additional 14 notes. Seven banks have distinct title and signature overprint varieties adding an additional 15 notes for a total of 41+14+15 = 70. I validated the latter two types of varieties by not only looking at (a lot of) notes, but also I had access to the Comptroller of the Currency's Bond and Currency ledgers at the National Archives for serial number print ranges. In addition, I had access to a nifty little ledger which recorded officer and title change orders; it was then an easy task to identify which printings occurred after the change orders. One never says never in these things, but I'm as sure as I reasonably can be that 70 notes represents the "complete" set. If you have a STL note different than show here, please let me know (and sell it to me!
).Regarding the 15 overprint varieties, what is probably the definitive article explaining why these varieties were produced appeared in the Jan/Feb 2014 Paper Money. Just to summarize, to manage the transition from Large to Small sized nationals, the BEP selected an outside contractor (BBS, Barnhart Brothers & Spindler) to produce overprint plates (for titles, charter numbers and bank officer sigs) for some 8000+ banks. The idea was that BEP could then focus on printing the vast number of base notes needed and then apply the overprints to complete NBNs after as overprint plates were delivered. Unfortunately BBS quickly fell behind the delivery schedule so BEP solicited the help of the GPO to produce interim plates. These interim plates were only used for the first printing of notes for many banks with charter number of 9xxx and above. Key identifiers distinguishing notes printed from these "GPO" plates include one or more larger officer signatures, different title layouts, a lower charter number at left and a variety of fonts not used than the more limited range used on the official BBS plates. Not all notes necessarily contain every indicator.
OK, so enough of that, on to the notes!
First National Bank in STL, charter 170 Although the largest issuer of NBNs in STL, the bank only issued $10 and $20 type Is and may be the easiest bank to obtain, even in nice condition
Type 1: Allen and Smith signatures
Mercantile-Commerce National Bank in STL, charter 4178
Type 1: Alexander and Lonsdale signatures
Type 2, variety 1: Hanser and Lonsdale signatures Change of cashier
Type 2, variety 2: Hanser and Hemingway signatures Change of president
The National City Bank of STL, charter 11989
Type 1, variety 1: Stone and Edwards signatures GPO plate, easily distinguished by "THE" in the first line of the bank's title. Sigs are also larger.
Type 1, variety 2: Stone and Edwards signatures BBS plate. Bank title is more rectangular in appearance and have "THE NATIONAL" in the first line.
The Security National Bank Savings and Trust Company of STL, charter 12066 Only $5 notes were issued by this bank
Type 1, variety 1: Denby and Moser signatures GPO plate, easily distinguished by the very small font used in the bank's title. Sigs are also larger.
Type 1, variety 2: Denby and Moser signatures BBS plate, use of "standard" BBS fonts in bank title
Type 2, variety 1: Denby and Moser signatures
Type 2, variety 2: Denby and Davis signatures change of president
St. Louis National Bank St Louis, charter 12216 Only $5 notes were issued by this bank
Type 1, variety 1: RR Karraker and TN Karraker signatures GPO plate, the president's larger sig is the most easily distinguished characteristic
Type 1, variety 2: RR Karraker and TN Karraker BBS plate
Type 1, variety 3: GW Karraker and TN Karraker Change of cashier. Unfortunately I don't have serial number ranges, but think only a few hundred sheets with this sig were produced.
Always interested in St Louis MO & IL metro area and Evansville IN national bank notes and Vatican/papal states coins and medals!
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Type 1, variety 1: Herbert and Redwine GPO plate, officer sigs are larger and second line of bank title block is slightly compacted (smaller).
Type 1, variety 2: Herbert and Redwine BBS plate, officer sigs are smaller and second line of bank title block is the same length as the city name.
Type 1, variety 3: Ledbetter and Mays BBS plate, change in officers
Type 2: Ledbetter and Mays
The Telegraphers National Bank of STL, charter 12389
Type 1, variety 1: Ross and Manion GPO plate, cashier sig is larger, bank title lines are more compacted (shorter)
Type 1, variety 2: Ross and Manion BBS plate, cashier sig is smaller, bank title lines are same length as city name
Type 2: Ross and Manion
The Tweflth Street National Bank of STL, charter 12491
Type 1, variety 1: Krieger and Dehlendorf
Type 1, variety 2: Krieger and Hecht Change of president.
Type 1, variety 3: Krieger and Champ Change of president. The bank's capital and circulation dramatically increased during its last year and this sig combo is relatively plentiful, even in high grade.
The American Exchange National Bank of STL, charter 12506
Type 1, variety 1: Pfister and Koeln GPO plate, uses "ST." for city name, sigs are also larger.
Type 1, variety 2: Pfister and Koeln BBS plate, uses "SAINT" for city name.
The Boatmen's National Bank of STL, charter 12916
Type 1: Bryan and Smith
Type 2: Bryan and Smith
Southside National Bank of STL, charter 13264
Type 1, variety 1: Etling and Meyer GPO plate, cashier sig larger and president sig smaller.
Type 1, variety 2: Etling and Meyer BBS plate
Type 1, variety 3: Etling and Rehme Change of president
Type 2: Etling and Rehme
The American Exchange National Bank in STL, charter 13726 Successor bank to 12506. Notice the "IN" in the new bank's title
Type 2, variety 1: Zacher and Koeln
Type 2, variety 2: Pfister and Koeln