The State Bank at New Brunswick

$1.00 · New Brunswick, New Jersey

Obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) — Notofilia.com Collection

Country / State United States/New Jersey

Issuing Entity The State Bank at New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ)

Denomination $1.00 (One Dollar)

Epoch / Type Obsolete Bill (historically known as“Broken Banknotes” o “Wildcat Notes”)

Estimated Date c. 1860s (Civil War era)

Catalog Reference Haxby NJ-350-G14a

Serial Number 9890 (Plate B)

Color Scheme

Obverse:black ink on white paper, with a distinctive green background print (security ink) featuring a circular geometric pattern at center and green text elements.

Reverse:printed entirely in green ink, in the precursor style of the well-known“greenbacks”.

Vignettes and Images of the Obverse

Center:a young woman within a circular frame, holding what appears to be an agricultural or textile tool (possibly a spinning wheel or rake handle), symbolizing labor and domestic industry.
Left side:a multisection stone-arch bridge crossed by an early steam locomotive; below, a barge travels the waterway — celebrating New Jersey's industrial revolution and transportation infrastructure.
Right side:a detailed scene of agricultural abundance, with a vegetable harvest, cornstalks, and farming tools.
Upper corners:large intricate geometric rosettes with the number “1”.

Reverse Images

It features a large central patriotic shield with vertical stripes and a field of stars, flanked by olive branches. On either side are two large green rosettes of geometric filigree displaying a stylized number “1”.

Typography and Text

Main title:“The State Bank of New Brunswick”, in an ornate, bold, Victorian serif typeface.
Payment promise:“Will pay ONE DOLLAR to bearer on demand”.
Location:“STATE OF NEW JERSEY” and “NEW BRUNSWICK”.

Signatures and Security

Cashier:signed on the bottom left (seems to readM. Coddingtonor a similar historical official).
President:signature line at bottom right (blank, styleremainder, or faded signature).
Engraver / Printer:Designed with guilloche and high security engraving to prevent counterfeiting of currency issued by private banks before the national banking law.

Before the US federal government standardized paper money with National Bank Notes and Legal Tender Notes during the Civil War, private banks chartered by each state issued their own notes. The State Bank at New Brunswick was one of these institutions. This piece represents the pinnacle of the art of banknote engraving in the United States, highlighting the importance of commerce, agriculture, and technological progress of the time.
— Historical Context Note

Sources

Haxby, James A.Standard Catalog of United States Obsolete Bank Notes, 1782–1866.
Heritage Auctions —ha.com(opens in a new tab)
Numista —numista.com(opens in a new tab)