The National Exchange Bank of Columbus, Ohio, Original Series $5.00, Very Fine, Serial Number 6058

This is a rare bank for the capital city of Ohio. Charter #591 was the second national bank established in Columbus, having acquired its charter on November 30, 1864. It survived approximately a year and a half beyond the dissolution of The First National Bank of Columbus when it was liquidated on April Fool's Day of 1892. During its life, the bank issued Original ($5, $10 & $20), 1875 ($10 & $20), and 1882 Brown Back ($10 & $20) notes but to this day only six notes survive ( all but one are Original $5).

Whereas the Serial Number 1578 $5 has popped up a few times at public sale, only three others have surfaced for single offerings between 1997 and 2007. The other two - this note and the sole $10 - have never before had a public offering. We imagine that once we sell this note, it too will be "buried" in a collection with the opportunity to be acquired by another collector again removed for an extended period of time and unavailable for perhaps decades, if ever.

Our note is an attractive example whose condition mirrors that of the other five, which are unusually similar in grade. Were split grades the current convention, this note would be something like 30/15, as the front appearance is as of an exceptional Very Fine and the back a little less so. Overall, we consider it at least VF-20 with strong penned signatures and exceptionally nice color retention throught the wonderful front design. Although the "Landing of Columbus" vignette presents a shade weaker, it is all there and representative of one of the reasons First Charter notes all so appealing to collectors and the unitiated alike.