Cedar Key, Florida. Messrs C.B. Rogers & Co. ND (18xx). $5. PMG Very Fine 25. Remainder.；Imprint of Corties, Macy & Co. of Nassau, NY. Uniface. Printed in black with green underprint. Two girls at top left. "CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA" near top center." MESSRS C.B. ROGERS & CO." at center. "5" counter at lower left. For a period from 1850 to 1885 the city of Cedar Key was the most important city on the west coast of Florida from the panhandle to Key West. It served as the main port for the region and was important in the shipping, logging, and fishing industries. Charles B. Rogers was born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1852. At the age of seventeen he moved to Cedar Key, Florida where he did clerical work for the Florida Railroad. After a few months he went into the general merchandise business in Cedar Key, eventually forming C.B. Rogers & Co. which eventually grew into a large and successful wholesale grocery house with a headquarters in Jacksonville. The bustling city of Cedar Key reached its peak in 1885 when nearby Tampa, aided by a new railroad, began stealing away the bulk of the economic activity of the gulf coast. The Cedar Key location of C.B. Rogers & Co. continued to operate at least until 1896 when it was severely damaged by a hurricane. This Five Dollar Remainder is the only example we can trace from this Florida issuer. It is well printed on still strong paper. Some minor rust mentioned by the grading service affects very little. This is a fantastic new Florida find that is to be treasured by one lucky collector for years to come.
