FERNANDINA

During later colonial times the site of the future settlement gained military importance because of its deep harbor and its strategic location near the northern boundary of Spanish Florida. On January 1, 1811, the town of Fernandina, which was about a mile from the present city, was named in honor of King Ferdinand VII of Spain by the governor of the Spanish province of East Florida, Enrique White. On May 10, 1811, Fernandina was the last town platted under the Laws of the Indies in the Western hemisphere and was intended as a bulwark against U.S. territorial expansion. In the following years it was captured and recaptured by a succession of renegades and privateers. Located at the northeasternmost part of Florida, Fernandina was a busy seaport enhanced greatly by the completion of the Florida Railroad in March of 1861, connecting it with Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico. The rail route was restored after the Civil War and completed in 1868, leaving us with a rich heritage of bank notes, engraved by the American Bank Note Company, to enjoy now.

Source: Wikipedia

Bank of Fernandina (written dates of 1859 and 1860)

The Bank of Fernandina’s charter was approved on January 15, 1859. Notes were engraved by the American Bank Note Co. and signed by George S. Roux, cashier and A.H. Cole as president. When Union forces captured Fernandina, the bank was forced to move to Starke. Notes are considered to be Florida’s most colorful produced with side panels overprinted in bold red ink.

1859 $5 Note Signed by George S. Roux, cashier and A.H. Cole as president

1859 $10 Note

1859 $20 Note

1859-1860 Uncut Remainder Sheet
($5, $5, $10, $20)

Bank of Commerce, Fernandina

The Bank of Commerce was approved on Feb. 14, 1861. Notes were engravd by Danforth, Wright & Co. New York & Philadelphia. Printed with elaborate brown overprints and blue serial numbers with plain backs or with portions of Florida 1863 notes.

1861 $5 Note

1861 $20 Note

18__ Uncut Proof Sheet
($5, $5, $10, $20)

Reconstructed Partial Sheet of Bank of Commmerce Notes from State of Florida 10 Cent & 25 Cent sheets showing a $10 Note (unknown any other way)

The Bank of Commerce $10 Souvenir Card of Florida United Numistmatists, Inc.

Florida Railroad Company (engraved dates of 1860 and 1861)

The Florida Railroad Co. was incorporated in 1853 with David Levy Yulee, Florida’s first U.S. Senator, as president. Construction began in 1855, with tracks that would connect Cedar Key on the Gulf Coast with Fernandina on the Atlantic coast and was completed on March 1, 1861. Operations were quickly interrupted with the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1868, new owners would restore the railroad producing beautiful new bank notes which are prized by collectors today.

1860-1861 50 Cent Note

1861 $1 Note Signed by George Call, treas. and Alex MacRae as superintendent.
(Pres. crossed out)

1861 $1 Note Signed by George N. Call, treasurer and L.E. Larkin, superintendent

1860 $1 Note Signed by George N. Call, treasurer and A.H. Cole, superintendent

18__ $2 Note
Unissued

1861 $2 Note Signed by George N. Call, treasurer and L.E. Larkin, superintendent

18__ $3 Note Signed by George N. Call, treasurer and L.E. Larkin as superintendent.
(Rare Unlisted Note)

Florida Railroad Company (August 1, 1861)

August 25, 1861 25 Cent Note from Harley L. Freeman Collection

Florida Railroad Company (written dates of 1867 and 1868)

18__ $1 Note
1867 Green Overprint

1867 $2 Note
1867 Green Overprint

18__ $3 Note
1867 Green Overprint

Nov. 3, 1866 30,000 Shares costing $100 each share.
Very rare stock certificate.

First National Bank of Fernandina

First National Bank of Fernandina as it looks today

1882 $5 Brown Back
Charter #4558 Signed by Carl Warfield, cashier and Fred W. Hoyt as president

1882 Brown Back $10 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Carl Warfield, cashier and Fred W. Hoyt as president

1902 Date Back $5 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Frank W. Wood, cashier and Fred W. Hoyt as president

1902 Date Back $20 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Everett Mizell as president

1911 Plain Back $5 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Fred G. Winters, cashier and Everett Mizell as president

1911 Plain Back $10 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Charles S. Binnicker, cashier and Everett Mizell as president

1911 Plain Back $20 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Fred G. Winters, cashier and Everett Mizell as president

1929 Type 1 $5 Note
Charter #4558 Signed by Fred G. Winters, cashier and Everett Mizell as president

1929 Type 1 $10 Note
Charter #4558

1929 Type 1 $20 Note
Charter #4558

1929 Type 2 $5 Note
Charter #4558

1929 Type 2 $10 Note
Charter #4558

1929 Type 2 $20 Note
Charter #4558

First National Bank of Fernandina received its charter on April 25, 1891 with $50,000 capital. The bank was bought by the DuPont chain of Florida banks and changed the name in 1948 to the Florida First National Bank at Fernandina Beach. Currently there are 20 large and 25 small size notes known on this charter.

Citizens National Bank of Fernandina

1902 Plain Back $10 Note
Charter #10024 Signed by E.P. MacDonell, cashier and Carl Warfield as president

Citizens National Bank of Fernandina was chartered May of 1911 and was liquidated only 7 years later on August 10, 1918. Very rare bank charter #10024, with only 2 notes known to exist.

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