Great Big Bonds

I just got a new large-format scanner and thought I'd give it a trial run by scanning a few of my larger bonds that I could previously only scan in pieces.

All of these bonds measure about 9" x 15". In the 19th century, Philadelphia and Providence, RI both issued some particularly nice municipal bonds, often with a large number of vignettes and portraits (some of these also appeared on banknotes and checks). The Philly water bond was issued in 1866, the 6% loan in 1869. The 1894 Providence bond also has a very attractive back, with elaborate lathework engravings. These were all printed by American Bank Note Co.

Very nice engraved bonds, although I was surprised to see the ones from Pennsylvania listed as "State of Pennsylvania" when most legal documents use the term "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania".

These are great, Greg!

Do you have any examples of the vignettes or portraits on checks? I think I remember seeing a check or certificate of deposit with that William Penn portrait. And the gentleman with the sledgehammer looks like something I've seen on another document of some kind.

Among my own collection the only matches I could find was the wharf scene on a check and the anvil man on a stock certificate. But I may find others -- several more look quite familiar.

I picked up another "big" bond the other day. Although this is a typical size for bond -- about 13 x 9.5" -- what's more impressive is the denomination: half a million dollars! This is the highest printed value I've come across. Love the locomotive vignette, too!

This might be a plausible explanation:
http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsbu...?oid=1335825

Nice bond - and it's been revalued and renumbered, which is unusual. It's listed in Terry Cox's online catalog of railroad scripophily (www.coxrail.com) but he doesn't have an image - you should send a high resolution scan to him for his site!

I recently picked up an $8 million bond - will have to scan that!

I did actually report it to Terry and it's on the database now. You just happened to check before he uploaded the weekly batch of new listings:
http://www.coxrail.com/database/Fin...ATL-427-B-39

Yes, I'd really like to see that $8 million bond! I have some other high denominations -- maybe we can start a new thread on that topic.

Beautiful vignette!

"Repairing the tracks"

Engraved by HAROLD OSBORN (1893-1968) of American Bank Note Company

I'm still hoping paperhistory will post his $8 million bond. <hint> In the meantime, here is the highest denomination bond I own. Chrysler Financial Corporation put out a lot of big bonds in the mid-'80s. This one was issued Feb. 9, 1982 for a little over $14 million. It features a wonderful vignette of two women flanking a Chrysler hood ornament, engraved by Security-Columbian Bank Note.

My cost? 15 bucks!