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1856 Niagara District Bank $1 - A Unique Discovery Note

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins - Canada Start Price:5,000.00 CAD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 12,000.00 CAD
1856 Niagara District Bank $1 - A Unique Discovery Note
SOLD
11,000.00CAD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2012 Jun 01 @ 19:57UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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1856 Niagara District Bank $1 - A Unique Discovery Note - The Niagara District Bank, One Dollar, 2nd July, 1856, Chartered Bank Issue, CH#530-12-03.402, fully engraved date, signatures C.M. Arnold, Th. R. Merritt, S/N20010C, red word ONE protector, graded by PMG Good-6, Net, with comment, “Pieces Missing”. Indeed, it does have some pieces missing from the border of the note, but the counters, signatures and design face up boldly. The central vignette is still alluring, with the view of the Horseshoe Falls and spectators in the foreground.
This note was previously not known to exist. The issue of 2nd July, 1855, is known with partially engraved date and, presumably, manuscript serial numbers. It also has a red word protector. The later 1862 issue is known with a fully engraved date and a green word ONE protector. This 1856 dated note is not known to have been ordered but quite obviously exists and did circulate. The serial number style of this note is similar to that of the 1862 issue. Additionally, it was not previously known that T.R. Merritt, Vice President of the bank, signed notes of this bank.
All notes of the Niagara District Bank are excessively rare. As a matter of fact, the 1855 and 1862 issued $1 examples are in institutional collections only. Besides this note, the only other notes of this bank in private hands are the two raised $1 notes of the Free Banking issue, two examples of the 1862 $4 issue, and a cancelled 1872 $5 note. An 1862 $4 note, in VG-10, sold in 2010 for $17,250.
All notes of this bank are redeemable as it was absorbed by the Imperial Bank of Canada, in 1875. For collectors, this is one of the most important chartered banks from the point of rarity. Most would never hope to have the opportunity to purchase a note from this bank.