06/18/2026
Hello Collectors, I wanted to share with you this Citizensā Bank of Louisiana $100 Obsolete Banknote, New Orleans, American Bank Note Co., c. 1857ā1860s, unsigned remainder, damaged edges.
I have it in my Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/cooperandwarren.
I also have a collection of notes from the same bank, with approximately the same ages for grading with PCGS.
Here is a more detailed history if you're curious. Have a great day and Happy hunting!
This is a $100 Citizensā Bank of Louisiana obsolete banknote, issued from New Orleans. From the image, it appears to be an unsigned / undated remainder note, meaning it was likely printed but never formally issued into circulation.
What it is
This note matches the known Citizensā Bank of Louisiana $100 note, often dated around 1860 in museum records. The Smithsonian describes this exact type as a $100 Louisiana obsolete bank note made by the American Bank Note Company, with the same design elements: woman portrait at left, central Washington bust with allegorical female figures, and male portrait at right. (National Museum of American History)
The text reads:
āThe Citizensā Bank of Louisiana will pay to the bearer One Hundred Dollars on demand.ā
That wording is important because these were private bank-issued notes, not federal currency like modern U.S. paper money.
Why it is called āobsolete currencyā
Before the federal government standardized U.S. paper money during and after the Civil War period, banks issued their own paper money. Once that system ended, these became known as obsolete banknotes. They are collectible today for their history, engraving, local banking connection, and artwork.
Printer and design
The bottom of the note says American Bank Note Company, one of the most important security printers of the 19th century. The note also says āPatented 30 June 1857.ā Numista/Numisquare list this type as a local banknote, $100 denomination, paper, approximately 184 Ć 81 mm, printed by the American Bank Note Company. (Numisquare)
The design is very attractive:
ā¢ Left portrait: female vignette.
ā¢ Center: George Washington bust with allegorical figures.
ā¢ Right portrait: male statesman-style portrait.
ā¢ Large green āCā counters: probably decorative denomination/security elements.
ā¢ No visible handwritten date or signatures: this supports the idea that it is a remainder.
Historical background
The Citizensā Bank of Louisiana was a major antebellum New Orleans bank. The Historic New Orleans Collection says it was chartered in 1833 and was one of the largest financial institutions of its kind, with initial capitalization of $12 million. Its notes are also connected to the famous āDixieā story because some Citizensā Bank notes used the French word ādixā for ten. (hnoc.org)
