HERITAGE: 2026 CSNS CURRENCY AUCTION

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 16, 2026, Article 24

Heritage Auctions will be hosting their Central States U.S. Currency Signature Auction from April 28 - May 1. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett

Serial Number 1 Salt Lake City, Utah Territory - $2 Original Fr. 389 The Deseret National Bank Ch. # 2059 PMG Choice Fine 15 Net.
A truly wonderful note from Utah Territory which we were privileged to handle in its first public appearance in our 2023 FUN auction is offered once again in this lot. Three years ago, we said that this then-newly surfaced Deuce was, "the first Lazy Deuce issued by this Territorial bank after it opened its doors in 1872. One of its most prominent features is that it bears the bold pen signature of bank founder Brigham Young as its President. Brigham Young (1801-1877) was the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877 and led the Mormon pioneers from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Utah where they founded Salt Lake City and where Mr. Young also served as the first Governor of the Utah Territory. This note is one of just 41 Serial Number 1 Deuces reported for the entire country and the sole Number 1 example from Utah Territory, according to the National Currency Foundation census. It has had some repairs but faces up quite nicely for the grade with pleasing color and, as mentioned, the bold pen signature of Brigham Young." That evening, it fetched a solid $78,000, but circumstances have changed and it is now once again available for one lucky bidder. While there are now 42 Serial Number 1 Deuces in the census, this trophy note remains the only Number 1 Deuce from Utah Territory and will, once again, generate serious bidding interest.

Continental Currency May 10, 1775 $20 PMG Very Fine 25 Net.
The $20 is, of course, one of the keys to the Continental Currency series. It is printed on polychromed or marbled paper, provided by Benjamin Franklin, whose colorful end design was an interesting counterfeit deterrent, but whose frailty led to many of these notes having repairs and restorations. And so it is with this note. The restoration appears to be the reinforcement of two rather large splits. Importantly, the polychrome edge is not involved and the note still faces up quite well.

To read the complete item description, see:
Continental Currency May 10, 1775 $20 PMG Very Fine 25 Net. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/colonial-notes/continental-currency/continental-currency-may-10-1775-20-pmg-very-fine-25-net/a/3601-22001.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-2+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)

Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory- Deseret Currency Association $3 Sept. 21, 1858 Rust 97 PMG Very Fine 25.
The $3 design features a sheep shearing scene at top center flanked by two cattle vignettes. A seated man with a rifle looks through a telescope at bottom left and similarly, a seated Native American is holding a rifle at lower right. A large beehive is at bottom center. The note, like all others from this issue, was payable in livestock when presented in sums of $100. The entire issue totaled $16,512 with $3s being issued in both A. and B. Series varieties ($900 in A series and $904 in B series notes). These notes were used exclusively to retire earlier typeset DCA notes. This is only the second $3 note we have offered and the first A series note. We auctioned a B series $3 in similar condition in our 2016 Long Beach Expo Currency Signature Auction which realized $4,700. PMG mentions edge tears that appear to be quite minor and which have little impact on the desirability of this Mormon rarity.

Low Serial Number B26 Fr. 240 $2 1886 Silver Certificate PMG Extremely Fine 40.
A lightly circulated and nicely margined Hancock Deuce, this piece is further enhanced by low two-digit serial number B26. This well printed example made its last public appearance in a 2014 auction. However, long before that, it was formerly lot 263 in the March 8, 1947 auction of the famous Albert A. Grinnell Collection that was offered by auctioneer Barney Bluestone. This was the eighth Grinnell part conducted by Bluestone. The eighth is known as the "clean-up" sale as it was the final part and it also contained a few lots that had been returned from the previous seven Bluestone parts. The eighth part is not included with the original bound copies of the Grinnell auction catalogs or the 1971 reprint by Anton and Perlmutter, because Bluestone took orders for the bound copies after the seventh part had concluded on November 30, 1946.

To read the complete item description, see:
Low Serial Number B26 Fr. 240 $2 1886 Silver Certificate PMG Extremely Fine 40. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/large-size/silver-certificates/low-serial-number-b26-fr-240-2-1886-silver-certificate-pmg-extremely-fine-40/a/3601-21122.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-4+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)

Replacement Fourth Liberty Loan 4 1/4% Gold Bond of 1933-1938 $50 Oct. 24, 1918 PMG Choice Very Fine 35 Net.
A pretty Fourth Liberty Loan Bond, this offering is one of only two replacement bonds known for the entire issue. Many may be surprised to know that replacement bonds with an identifying "star" prefix were printed and issued in an identical fashion as paper money produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. A star was placed at the end of the serial number on the bond and each of its coupons to signify that it was a replacement for a bond damaged or spoiled during the printing process. Replacement bonds are extremely rare and we are aware of the existence of only two to date, a $50 with serial number H00049318* which is the current offering and brought $13,512 in January 2015 and a $100 which realized $23,000 when sold at auction in 2013. Excellent color is exhibited by the bond in this lot. It has also retained 17 of its coupons, numbers 24-40. However, coupon 31 has been reattached with tape and there is a small amount of scattered rust. Neither of these foibles detract from this bond's overall pleasing appearance.

Heritage: Central States Currency Auction Item 6 Obverse Portraits and Vignettes Engraved by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Treasury Department Vol. II Unpaginated (105 pages) 1883. Presented to T(ruman) N. Burrill, Chief of Bureau (of Engraving and

Portraits and Vignettes Engraved by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Treasury Department Vol. II Unpaginated (105 pages) 1883. Presented to T(ruman) N. Burrill, Chief of Bureau (of Engraving and Printing) Fine-Very Fine.
Volume II of a set is offered in this lot that is destined to become a capstone for an important numismatic library. This magnificent tome illustrates the very pinnacle of the BEP's art and copies are seldom available. We see within its covers engravings of politicians, government officials, allegorical figures, the military, inventors, government buildings, eagles, and also many superb vignettes. A large number of the over 100 portraits and vignettes were part of the designs of our nation's 19th century paper money. They are printed directly on to the pages of this leather bound book that was crafted from the finest materials. It consists of a ribbed spine, decorative end boards, interleaved pages, gold leaf on the covers, and gilt edges. It exhibits very little shelf wear, though the front cover has loosened itself from the spine and should be restored by its next owner. Also, the pages display foxing. Both of these are common conditions for the presentation volumes of this era. Dimensions are approximately 8.5 by 9.75 inches. This example was presented to Truman N. Burrill. Mr. Burrill joined the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in 1880 as a storekeeper. He later served as the clerk in charge of proposals and supplies. Burrill was appointed the sixth Chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing with the death of O.H. Irish. Burrill was promoted over the Assistant Chief and several others that were closer in line for promotion to the top position. He served in this capacity during the years of 1883-85.

I was never able to acquire one of these for my numismatic library. Great opportunity for the bibliophile - definitely a "magnificent tome." -Editor

T1 $1,000 1861 PF-1 Cr. 1 PMG Choice About Unc 58 EPQ.
The only $1,000 to be emitted by the Confederate Treasury, the T1 was part of the iconic four-type Montgomery series issued from Montgomery, AL, the temporary capital of the then newly established Confederate States of America. After hostilities between the states commenced, Confederate Secretary of the Treasury C.G. Memminger, the driving force behind the fledgling nation's monetary system, turned to printers in the North to create notes and other fiscal paper documents, such as bonds, simply because Southern printers did not possess the same capabilities as the more well-established Northern companies. With the assistance of Gazaway Bugg Lamar, a well-known Georgia banker with both Northern and Southern ties who resided in New York at the time, the Confederacy secured a contract with the NBNCo - a company founded in November 1859 after several employees of the larger ABNCo split from the company. A total of $1 million in Confederate Treasury Notes were to be produced as part of the March 9, 1861, Act, composed of 607 notes each of both the $1,000 and $500 denominations and 1,606 notes each of both the $100 and $50 denominations.

Sheets of Montgomery notes were shipped beginning in late March and arrived in a timely manner. Representatives of the T1 commenced issuance on April 5, 1861. The elaborate green ornamentation on the face is courtesy of Cyrus Durand's invention of the geometric lathe in the early 1820s. This beautiful piece showcases portraits of two familiar Americans, John Caldwell Calhoun at lower left and Andrew Jackson at lower right. Calhoun, a senator from South Carolina, cemented himself in history as an ardent supporter of states' rights and a proponent of the nullification theory, which gave states the right to veto those federal laws with which they did not agree. Calhoun served as the seventh Vice President of the United States. Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, rose to fame through his work as a general during the War of 1812, specifically during the Battle of New Orleans. His presidential term was marked especially by his opposition to the Bank of the United States, expressed through such actions as the stoppage of federal funds to the institution and the vetoing of its recharter.

Our current offering was signed by the actual register, Alex(ander) B(aron) Clitherall, and the actual treasurer, E(dward) C(arrington) Elmore. Clitherall was elected the first Register of the Treasury and served in this capacity until shortly after the capital of the Confederacy moved to Richmond. Loyal to his state, he returned to Montgomery, but remained involved with the Confederacy and served as a Private in Co. H of the 11th Alabama Infantry. In contrast to Clitherall's short term as register, Elmore worked as Treasurer of the Confederacy for most of the country's existence. After the editor of The Richmond Examiner, John Moncure Daniel, accused him of gambling away the Confederate Treasury's money, Elmore challenged Daniel to a duel. Though he technically triumphed, Elmore was forced to resign because duels were illegal at the time. Thus, his term lasted from March 6, 1861, until July 18, 1864.

Undoubtedly, the most important feature of this incredible piece is its choice condition. Besides its nearly full frame and breathtaking green lathework color, the note displays virtually no evidence of circulation and was likely stored in a safety deposit box for the entirety of the war. In addition, it has achieved PMG's coveted Exceptional Paper Quality designation for its completely original paper surfaces, a truly impressive feat for a note of this type. According to the PMG Population Report, this representative is the sole finest that the company has encapsulated, and it is certainly among the finest known for the type. Several Uncirculated and Choice Uncirculated representatives purportedly exist, but these must be observed to verify their exact grades.

Only three T1 $1,000 examples which were graded at the AU or higher level have crossed our desk previously, but all three pieces displayed problems of varying degrees. A T1 which has remained in this state of preservation is exceptionally elusive indeed. One neatly executed hammer cut cancellation is present on this note which has little bearing when considering this piece's exemplary attributes. We have estimated quite conservatively for this spectacular note, and with the market for Confederate rarities flourishing in recent years, we would not be surprised to see our evaluation far outperformed tonight. Opportunities to acquire a type note of this caliber almost never manifest, and this fact should be reflected in the final price for this landmark offering.

To read the complete item description, see:
T1 $1,000 1861 PF-1 Cr. 1 PMG Choice About Unc 58 EPQ. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/confederate-notes/1861-issues/t1-1-000-1861-pf-1-cr-1-pmg-choice-about-unc-58-epq/a/3601-22006.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-7+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)

T48 $10 1862 "XX-3" PMG Choice About Unc 58.
The debate over what this note is and is not continues. The note does have printed signatures and has vignettes that were used on Hoyer & Ludwig products. The two most likely scenarios are that (1) this note was printed by Hoyer & Ludwig during the war, demonstrating printed signatures and, while they were at it, poking fun at their arch competitor, Keatinge & Ball by means of the garbled imprint (Keatings & Ball Columbus, SC.) or (2) It was produced at some point after the Civil War, aimed at the burgeoning collector market for Confederate rarities that began in the 1870s. In either case, this is a rare and popular note in very nice condition which should attract significant collector interest. At present, this note carries the highest recorded grade for a T48 in the PMG Population Report. PMG mentions an insignificant pinhole.

To read the complete item description, see:
T48 $10 1862 "XX-3" PMG Choice About Unc 58. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/confederate-notes/1862-issues/t48-10-1862-xx-3-pmg-choice-about-unc-58/a/3601-22022.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-8+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)

Boston, MA- Revere Bank $20 Mar. 1, 1860 G12a Proof PCGS Banknote Choice Unc 64.
An absolutely spectacular multicolor Proof from this short lived but well-known Boston institution, this lovely note features a pronounced portrait of patriot, silversmith, and colonist Paul Revere, from whose name the bank adopts its title, at right. At lower left, the state auditor's seal is observed. As is the case with several other Proofs which we also have the privilege to offer in this auction, the note in this lot was produced by the ABNCo. The company utilized gray and red-orange design elements in a highly ornate fashion to deter would-be counterfeiters. At upper left and right are identical "20" black and white outlined die counters surrounded by scalloped red-orange borders. Gray lathework panels on either side are complemented by a gray micro-letter tint at center. A vibrant "20 Dolls." overprint at lower center finishes the layout and adds both additional color and aesthetic appeal. Printed on brilliant white India paper, this note has five punch cancellations in its signature lines. Its beauty is accompanied by generous margins and lack of meaningful condition impairments. Currently, two representatives of this design and denomination in Proof form are known to the collecting community, including our current offering and one other example which served as the Haxby Plate Note. We have not auctioned either piece previously. This splendid note graced both the Peter Mayer and Charles River collections before crossing our desk. Massachusetts Obsolete Banknote collectors will undoubtedly appreciate this marvelous representative for its great rarity and impressive design.
From The Charles River Collection

To read the complete item description, see:
Boston, MA- Revere Bank $20 Mar. 1, 1860 G12a Proof PCGS Banknote Choice Unc 64. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/obsoletes-by-state/massachusetts/boston-ma-revere-bank-20-mar-1-1860-g12a-proof-pcgs-banknote-choice-unc-64/a/3601-20101.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-9+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)

Sioux Falls, SD - $5 1882 Brown Back Fr. 472 The Union National Bank Ch. # 4629 PMG Choice Very Fine 35.
One of the pleasures of cataloging for Heritage is that, every day, you just never know what surprises will come across your desk. This offering definitely fits that category. It is a gorgeous note that hails from one of South Dakota's most obscure and short-lived issuers - a bank that opened in 1891, issued a handful of $5 Brown Backs, and then disappeared forever in 1899 leaving just $540 outstanding in 1910. This piece is the first note to be reported from this charter and what a survivor - it is a beautiful, well margined note with blazing ink colors and dark pen signatures. It has all the eye appeal of a much higher grade note and, only upon close examination, can some light storage folds be found. This is a true South Dakota trophy note fit for the finest of collections.

Gainesville, TX - $50 1902 Red Seal Fr. 664 The Lindsay National Bank Ch. # (S)6292 PMG Very Fine 25.
An extraordinary Lone Star State rarity and one of the highlights of the collection we are honored to offer this evening. This is one of only three $50 Texas Red Seals known to exist, none of which are in institutional collections which tells you that this type and denomination eluded some of Texas' greatest collectors, including William Philpott and John Rowe. The only one of the three known examples to have been publicly offered since a Waco $50 Red Seal was sold as part of the J.L. Irish holdings in 1997, this offering was last on the market in our 2009 Long Beach auction where it fetched $37,375. It is a most attractive piece that is very well margined, vividly overprinted, and bears the bold pen signature of L.B. Lindsay as Cashier, the founder of this private name institution. PMG mentions minor repairs, but any such repairs do not detract at all from the overall rarity and desirability of the Texas trophy note.

Low Serial Number 2 Fr. 1100* $100 1914 Federal Reserve Star Note PMG Fine 12.
While this piece will certainly not triumph in any beauty contests, however its incredible rarity compensates for any shortcomings regarding condition. According to the Track & Price Census, this piece is the only Fr. 1100* star note currently known to collectors. It has remained unique since it last crossed our auction block in May 2005 and realized $13,800. In addition, as we described in our May 2005 listing, this piece possesses a low serial number E2*. We declared that this serial number was the lowest of any reported large size star and series. Inspecting T&P, we find that this statement still rings true today. While it has circulated extensively, this piece contains grade appropriate wear and soiling. We will estimate conservatively, but we would not be surprised to see this representative far outperform our expectations tonight.

To read the complete item description, see:
Low Serial Number 2 Fr. 1100* $100 1914 Federal Reserve Star Note PMG Fine 12. (https://currency.ha.com/itm/large-size/federal-reserve-notes/low-serial-number-2-fr-1100-100-1914-federal-reserve-star-note-pmg-fine-12/a/3601-22139.s?ctrack=200071&type=bodylink-12+-currency-picks-3601-CSNS-tem041526)