Birmingham Michigan National Currency

Birmingham's National Currency

There were two (2) National banks chartered in Birmingham.

The First National Bank of Birmingham was chartered on September 7, 1910 (Charter #9874) and went into receivership on October 14, 1933. The bank issued notes under the last two National Bank Note series, 1902 and 1929 (type 1).

The Birmingham National Bank assumed its predecessor prior to its receivership on June 15, 1933 (Charter #13703) and issued notes only under series 1929 (type 2).

A Pictorial exhibit of currency:

First national bank of birmingham #9874

currency issued 1910-1933

Series of 1902 Large Size Notes dated September 7, 1910
  Date Back Type issued 1910 through 1915
   $5 2200 printed (1 known)
$10 1320 printed
$20 440 printed
  Plain Back Type issued 1915 through 1929
$5 62804 printed (7 known)
$10 27324 printed (4 known)
$20 9108 printed (2 known)
$50 2226 printed (3 known)
$100 742 printed

Series of 1929 Small Size Notes Type 1 issued July, 1929 through May, 1933
$5 13482 printed (6 known)
$10 6127 printed (7 known)
$20 1896 printed (4 known)
$50 948 printed (7 known)
$100 336 printed (3 known)

Total surviving notes known for Series of 1902 = 17 (total printed = 106,164)

Total surviving notes known for Series of 1929 = 27 (total printed = 22,789)

The 1902 Series were printed from 1902 to 1929 in sheets of four (4) notes per sheet and three different denomination combinations were printed. All notes on the sheet had the same serial numbers, but different plate positions letters. Therefore, the $10 example above was printed with two other $10’s and one $20 with the same serial number. For The First National Bank of Birmingham #9874, the sheets were printed with the following denomination combinations:

$5-$5-$5-$5
$10-$10-$10-$20
$50-$50-$50-$100

$5 circa 1925-1929, Series of 1902 “Plain Back Type” issued 1915 through 1929
Obverse: 23rd President of the United States 1889-1893, Benjamin Harrison (died 1901)
Reverse: The landing of the Pilgrims

$10 circa 1915-1925, Series of 1902 “Plain Back Type” issued 1915 through 1929
Obverse: 25th President of the United States 1897-1901, William McKinley (died 1901)
Reverse: Vignette of ships

$20 circa 1925-1929, Series of 1902 “Plain Back Type” issued 1915 through 1929
Obverse: Comptroller of the Currency 1863-1865, Hugh McColloch
Reverse: Vignette of the U.S. Capitol

$50 circa 1925-1926, Series of 1902 “Plain Back Type” issued 1915 through 1929
Obverse: Secretary of the Treasury 1877-1881, Secretary of State 1897-1898, John Sherman
Reverse: Vignette representing industry and transportation

The 1929 Type 1 Series were printed from 1929 to 1933 in sheets of six (6) notes per sheet. Each sheet contained all the same denomination notes with all the same numerical serial numbers, only the prefix letter (plate position letter) was different which identified the position of the note on the sheet. Therefore, the The First National Bank of Birmingham #9874 $50 example above was printed with five other $50’s with the identical serial number with only the prefixes of A,B,C,D,E being different. The “F” prefix example above was in the sixth position (bottom) on the sheet. Contrasting the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Series:

Type 1 has an alpha prefix and suffix in the serial number. The suffix is always an “A."
Type 1 has the charter number imprinted twice in black.

$5 circa 1930-1933, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 1

$10 circa 1929-1930, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 1

$20 circa 1929-1930, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 1

$50 circa 1930-1933, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 1

$100 circa 1929-1930, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 1

birmingham national bank #13703

currency issued 1933-1935

Series of 1929 Small Size Notes Type 2 issued May, 1933 through July, 1935
$5 4340 printed (2 known)
$10 2078 printed (4 known)
$20 620 printed (3 known)
$50 108 printed (6 known)
$100 48 printed (1 known)

Total surviving notes known for Series of 1929 = 16 (total printed = 7,194)

The 1929 Type 2 Series were printed from 1933 to 1935 in sheets of six (6) notes per sheet. Each sheet contained all the same denomination notes, but unlike Type 1 notes, these Type 2 notes all contained unique serial numbers with a constant prefix letter of “A”. Therefore, the The Birmingham National Bank #13703 $50 example above was printed with five other $50’s on the sheet, all with different consecutive serial numbers. Since the notes were printed six (6) to a sheet, the note above came from the second sheet printed in the top position (first note on the sheet). Contrasting the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Series:

Type 2 has an alpha prefix (always an “A”) serial number, but no suffix.
Type 2 has the charter number imprinted four times, twice in black and twice in brown next to the serial number.

$5 circa 1933-1935, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 2

$10 circa 1933-1935, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 2

$20 circa 1933-1935, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 2

$50 circa 1933-1935, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 2

$100 circa 1933-1935, Series of 1929 “Small Size” Type 2

READ ABOUT THE DISCOVERY OF THIS NOTE:

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