Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 324 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 1347

First National Gold Bank of Santa Barbara, California (California) 1873. Santa Barbara. 10 shares. Issued, cancelled. No.2. View of Santa Barbara with ships in the foreground and mountains beyond. VF. Stub lightly pasted over the left end. During the War Between the States, Lincoln and Stanton wanted to organize the banks into a national banking system. The bank notes would be supplied by the U.S. government, but each member bank was to have its name and charter number printed on the notes it issued. These National Bank notes were widely accepted everywhere except the West Coast, where paper money was not trusted. In order to obtain the confidence of those West Coast customers, special National Gold Banks were authorized, issuing notes payable in gold. Today, the notes issued by these banks are very highly valued by paper money collectors. We know of only one other share certificate issued by this National Gold Bank, and we have never seen examples from the other National Gold Banks. Bid accordingly.

Sold for
$650