What they are. From 1863 to 1935, thousands of federally chartered banks across the country issued their own paper money under U.S. authority. Each National Bank Note carries the issuing bank’s name, its town and state, and a federal charter number — literally hometown money, printed for a specific bank in a specific place. They come in large-size (pre-1929) and small-size formats.
How they’re valued. More than almost any other U.S. type, value tracks the bank and the town: how many notes that bank issued, how many survive, the rarity of the state or locality, the note’s type and denomination, and its grade. A common note from a large-city bank and a great rarity from a tiny frontier bank can look nearly identical yet be worlds apart in value.
Montana Nationals — our specialty
Montana nationals are a particular specialty of the house. From the frontier banks of the territory and early statehood to the small-size issues of the 1920s and ’30s, we actively buy, sell, and appraise Montana national bank notes — and we’re glad to share what we know.
Have a Montana national, or hunting one? Email sales@aardvarkwest.com.