Paris, Illinois. $20 1875. Friedberg 431 (W-2050). The First NB. Charter #1555. PCGS Currency Very Choice New 64 PPQ.This Paris, Illinois bank has provided collectors with a number of high grade First Charter $10s and $20s to fill spaces in type sets and state collections. The note offered here is a bright and fully choice 1875 $20 displaying ample margins, boldly printed inks and nicely penned bank officers signatures. <p>The beautifully designed type features vignettes of the <em>Battle of Lexington, 1775 </em>at left and <em>Loyalty</em> at right. The back prominently displays a detailed vignette, the <em>Baptism of Pocahontas</em>, at center with the state seal to the left and a bald eagle with shield at right. Engraving and printing was carried out by the American Bank Note Company whose imprint is found at the bottom center of the face. <p>Just three 1875 $20s of all catalog numbers have been graded at this level by PCGS with four finer. For the catalog number it has been surpassed by just a single note.<p><strong>About the Bank</strong><p>The First National Bank of Paris, Illinois was organized in 1867 with a capital of $80,000, authorized up to $125,000. The founding president was R.B. Sutherland and the first cashier was George Hunt. By 1875 the capital was $125,000, the president was Asa J. Baber, and the cashier was William Siebert.<p>The bank went into receivership on May 4, 1931, a victim of the Depression. By that time the amount of paper money issued since 1885 was $2,271,260, of which about $120,000 was still outstanding, including large-size notes (as here), totaling $17,145. <p><p>
