National Bank Note - The Notes

The Notes

Through much of their earlier history of issue, national banknotes used designs in which the issuing bank's name was prominently displayed,rather than "The United States Of America". One design used for many years featured a portrait on the obverse, near the left edge, and the bank's name printed in prominent shaded type in the middle. The historical figures portrayed did not usually correspond to those seen on similar denominations today. For example, one design for the five-dollar denomination has President Benjamin Harrison's portrait rather than that of Abraham Lincoln.

This changed during the last years of national banknote issues. After small-size notes came into use, national banknotes now began to be issued using the same designs as most of the other types still in use at the time--Federal Reserve Notes, United States Notes, Silver Certificates, and the last Gold Certificate issues. The issuing commercial bank's name and promise to pay was now over-stamped in plain black type to the left of the now centered portrait. By this time, also, the portraits depicted the same Presidents and other historical figures that we see today.