| Description |
St. Louis, Missouri Ty. - Bank of St. Louis (1st) $10 Mar. 18, 1817 MO-45 G26. PCGS Very Fine 30. This is one of the most important Missouri banknotes and a significant example in this sale. It was justifiably one of Eric P. Newman's numismatic favorites. He had researched the vignette and discovered in 1941 that it was the earliest view of St. Louis, dating it to 1814 due to the absence of the 1815-built Papin house (St. Louis Post-Dispatch October 5, 1941).The top central vignette, titled Partial View of St. Louis was custom-engraved for the bank by Leney & Rollinson in New York. Richly detailed, it has recognizable buildings and landmarks from the period; Eric identified each in his article, "Earliest Picture of St. Louis," which was reproduced in the Newman Part VIII sale catalog. The title is underneath the vignette with the obligations across and location below. This is another great opportunity for collectors to bid upon a very rare $10 issued example. The few known to us are closely held in advanced collections or in museums and have seldom traded hands at public auction. Prior to the Newman Collection auctions, the last issued $10 note sold was likely the example from the complete eight-denomination set ($1 to $100) in the 1996 Western Reserve Historical Society sale that realized $26,400. Even the Herb and Martha Schingoethe Collection had few notes from this Bank of St. Louis series (their $5 note was restored; ex: Burgett collection via 1990 NASCA-Smythe Memphis sale) and did not have an example of this significant type. Printed on red fiber banknote paper by Leney & Rollinson. At top center is the titled Partial View of St. Louis. Ends show a fine moir� pattern at left and lathe work shading at right with differently styled perpendicular TEN denominations. Plate A. No. 797. Signed by John B. N. Smith as cashier and S. Hammond as bank president. A crisp note, with superior paper body. The margins are close, as usual, with a short right top edge trimmed in slightly. Fully issued and among the finest of very few known. The issued $10 in Newman Part VIII saw spirited competition. A quintessential Missouri banknote and early St. Louis historical artifact. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
From Newman X (Heritage Auctions, November 2018), lot 20142, realized $13200. |
