Fernandina, Florida. Bank of Fernandina. 1860 $20. PMG Very Fine 30.(FL-20 G6a) Benice 6. No. 549. Plate A. American Bank Note Company. A rare Obsolete from a short-lived bank in North Florida. This note was issued by the Bank of Fernandina which received a charter in January 1859 from the State of Florida and would cease operations in Fernandina when Union forces occupied the city in March 1862, thereby forcing the bank to move operations to Starke in Bradford County. By far one of the most distinctive Obsoletes available to collectors thanks to the red overprinted end panels emblazoned with "XX" and "20" at left and right. Additional elements such as the centermost vignette speak to the prominence of railroads in the affairs of Fernandina. A primitive locomotive can be seen at speed with a distinctly New England cityscape in the background. The aforementioned end panels serve to mask a quartet of denomination counters that can be encountered in each corner and make for liberal use of geometric design elements. The penned signatures of Cashier George S. Roux and President A. H. Cole can be observed in the appropriate panels indicating that this piece had been fully issued. A major rarity for the specialist of Florida Obsoletes, this note has been rated an R-6 rarity in <em>Florida Paper Money: An Illustrated History 1817 - 1934</em> by Ronald J. Benice. PMG comments "Minor Repair, Piece Added."
