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The E-Sylum: Volume 5, Number 51, December 22, 2002, Article 11
NOTES FROM SAINT NICK
This being Christmas week, it seems like a jolly good time
to discuss references to obsolete notes featuring St. Nicholas.
Many thanks to John and Nancy Wilson, and Dave Harper
of Numismatic News for information about the Wilson's
article from the December 1997 issue of Bank Note reporter.
The article references the definitive catalog for the subject:
Roger Durand's "Interesting Notes About Christmas", 1993.
"About 21 different banks and eight different sates issued
Santa Claus notes."
"Durand's book lists about 62 different Santa Claus notes,
of which about 28 only differ by way of a red or green
protector overprinted on them or on tinted paper. The
Bank of Milwaukee has two notes that differ only because
of a different of capital printed."
Other references cited by the Wilsons include:
The 1990 Christie's sale catalog of the American Bank Note
Company Archives
"Diverse Numismatic Items Depict Santa" written by Paul
Gilkes for the Dec. 25, 1991 issue of Coin World
"Happy Holiday Notes from St. Nick" written by Gene
Hessler for the Dec. 21 1992 issue of Coin World.
"Christmas Currency: A Trial List" by Larry L. Ruehlen,
1973
Several of the vignettes were done by famous book illustrator
Felix O. C. Darley. Gene Hessler writes that there is a web
site devoted to Darley site at http://www.focdarley.org/.
A web search turned up an article on Santa notes by
David W. Boitnott on the Raleigh, NC coin club site:
http://www.raleighcoinclub.org/articles/1997/comingtotown.html
Here's an excerpt. See the web page for the full article.
"But don't fret Virginia, Santa Claus is coming to town and
he is riding on obsolete banknotes. Yes, there are five known
vignettes featuring jolly ol? St. Nick. The first depicts Santa
and six of his reindeer departing a rooftop from right to left.
This vignette can be found on a Pittsfield Bank, Massachusetts
$20 note; a $2 note from The Central Bank of Brooklyn, N.Y.;
a $3 note from The Central Bank of Troy, N.Y.; and on a
Bucksport Bank, Maine $50 note.
The second vignette again shows Santa and his reindeer
departing a rooftop; however, this time in the opposite
direction. This engraving appeared on several banknotes
including a $2 note from The White Mountain Bank,
Lancaster, New Hampshire. This particular note was the
subject of a souvenir card issued for the Memphis
International Paper Money Show in 1988 making easier
to locate an example at a reasonable price. Other known
issuers are The Central Bank of Troy, N.Y. on a $3 note;
The Saint Nicholas Bank of New York City on $2 and
$5 notes; The Mechanics and Manufacturers Bank,
Providence, Rhode Island on a $1 note; and The Waupun
Bank, Wisconsin on a $2 note."
The article credits Gene Hessler's 1992 Coin World article
as a source.
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com
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