Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. $5 1882 Brown Back. Fr. 477. First

A Conditional Treasure from the Territory of Hawaii The Earliest Surviving National on the Territory Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. $5 1882 Brown Back. Fr. 477. First NB of Hawaii. Charter #5550. PCGS Banknote About Uncirculated 50. Already a treasure by virtue of its Territorial status and the fact it represents the earliest surviving note recorded on the First National Bank of Hawaii at Honolulu (Charter# 5550) out of almost 1,000 recorded survivors. This note offers more that deserves to be considered. Burdened with an assigned grade that echoes light circulation, this example has earned a numerical grade of "50" and stands as arguably the finest Series of 1882 Brown Back recorded here out of 38 pieces. Here penned signatures attributable to Cashier W.G. Cooper and President Cecil "Kikila" Brown remain bold and accentuate a truly warm, yet majestic sight emphasized by not only the distinctive colors responsible for the "Brown Back" moniker but also the right-facing portrait of James A. Garfield that stands watchful over the face design and its accoutrements. Looking right, one may behold an imposing title block that reads "FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF HAWAII AT HONOLULU" which effortlessly betrays this note as a financial instrument that spent its early life on Oahu roughly 2,300 miles from the continental United States before an unlikely stroke of survival saved it from redemption. The circumstances behind that story of survival are nonetheless lost to memory, but one may speculate as to the nature of those circumstances. Perhaps saved as part of a shipment of cash taken back to San Francisco in the vault of a packet steamer or a souvenir taken by a monied tourist, this note is every bit the survivor and one where the damage on the PCGS Banknote holder should be immaterial. Further held together with the fact that this exact note traces a pedigree back to Grinnell and Carter make this note nothing short of an important trophy that will rightly earn its place among an advanced collection once the bidding process has concluded. Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000. Provenance: Barney Bluestone's Albert A. Grinnell Collection sale of March 1946, Lot 3390; Ex. Amon Carter. Click here for certification details from PCGS Banknote.

Estimate:$4,800

View all items fromStack's BowersorCoins & Banknotes