Souvenir cards

Thanks gsalexan. very unique train card.

 

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Greg,

Thanks, didn't know that. Nice looking full sheet! I am always amazed by how much you know and have!

BR ~ Darryl

 

Time for a bump. In the process of looking for an interesting card to post I came across a unique detail I'd never noticed before. In fact, I don't believe anyone in the Souvenir Card Collectors Society picked up on this one.

Below is a scan of B226, issued by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for the IMPS show in 1998. It features a really nice intaglio print of the back of a First Charter $100 National Bank Note. The central engraving of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence also happens to be one I have in my collection of BEP vignette prints. I keep these two in the same album, but hadn't studied them closely until yesterday. At the bottom of the vignette print is the imprint "Eng'd by the American Bank Note Co. N.Y." Upon closer observation, the souvenir card has the same imprint, but it's partially obscured by the overprint of the green frame.

Much of our early U.S. currency in the 1860s was printed entirely or in part by private banknote firms, before the BEP had the capacity to take on all the printing. Several souvenir cards feature these early notes, but without mentioning that these were actually NOT the work of the BEP. To my knowledge this card is the only one that shows an imprint other than that of the Bureau.

 

That is an interesting fact. I wonder what year the BEP stopped using outside companies to print U.S. currency and which companies the BEP had used up to that point. Obviously the ABNC was one of them.

 

For currency (including some fractionals), Continental, National, American, and Columbian Bank Note were used. In 1878, the BEP was given reponsibility for printing all federal currency and fiscal securities, but in practice they were already doing most of it by the mid-1870s. The Bureau began calling in the printing plates from the private firms around this time and by 1877 nearly all the dies were in the BEP vault. The resulting loss of business was the primary reason for the consolidation of National, Continental and ABN in 1879.

 

If I didn't already have one of these framed, I would never draw attention to it on eBay. However, someone could really walk away with a steal on this. It's an intaglio reprint, from the original BEP plate, of the 1893 Columbian Expo Award Diploma. IMHO, one of the most impressive works of engraving ever produced by the Bureau. The original issue price was more than the current minimum bid.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1893-Worlds-Columbian-Commission-Certificate-BEP-Intaglio-Reprinted-in-1988-/140886537182?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cd7df3de

This seller is also offering a number of very scarce cards -- including the Big Blue sheet mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

Shhh, you're giving away my best new source... Just picked up a new one last week from Bill. He is a good seller! I will post as soon as it comes in. I have been looking at the one you posted just have not pulled the trigger.

 

I'll zip my lips for a while. But you have to promise to post some pics if you win some of those big sheets!

 

I've been looking at some of that sellers things. And thinking about buying some too, just need to find a bit more info. before I jump in.

 

Here is the sheet I bought from him last week, came today. My picture does not do it justice. He is very good at communication and quick to ship. I had an issue with the first big blue I received and he took care of it by shipping me another. Was very happy with all three things I picked up from him. The trains were the third item(s).

 

I was able to finally make a purchase of some cards I've been waiting a LONG time to pick up at a reasonable price. In the final two years that it issued souvenir cards (1995 and '96), American Bank Note put out four series, two philatelic and two numismatic. These were very limited printings, less than 500 for any given card.

The last series featured obsolete notes from The Merchantile Bank of Waterloo, Illinois (a bit south of St. Louis). Only 300 of each card was issued and ABN charged a bundle for the series at the time. I think it was about $150 for the set of four, which I couldn't justify so I passed on buying them. I was finally able to get a set on eBay for well under that original price.

 

The SCCS catalog numbers for these cards are SO155-158. You don't see many notes with an orange tint and I also like the ornate 1 and 5 background numerals.

ABN also issued a full uncut sheet of all the denominations (SO159), the last souvenir card it produced. Since the individual cards showed all the notes, I decided not to pursue the full sheet, but I have one of the previous year which I may scan later.

 

Filled one more hole in my dwindling list of American Bank Note cards. This is another in the series commemorating the 500th anniversary of Columbus landing in America. Very nice (and large) Costa Rican gold certificate. The U.S. wasn't the only country to add a yellow tint to their gold notes.

 

Excellent examples

 

I have too many to post that I would love to get rid of. USPS, BEP, UN. Sold some on Ebay but have too many left sitting around. Arggghhhh!! But the BEP ones are so nice. If you are interested in what I have left, PM me and let's see what we can work out.

 

Here,s a cool one on the MPC side

 

FWIW, this one is considered a private issue card. ANA put out their own cards for various shows and events. They are collectible, just not engraved by BEP or a banknote company so they aren't listed in the SCCS catalog.

 

I'm going to cross-reference this thread here, for anyone who might be interested down the line:
http://www.cointalk.com/t221756/

If you collect Military Payment Certificates and are curious about connections like the one below, you'll find some useful information.

 

The BEP just posted details of their 2013 Intaglio Print program (aka souvenir cards) on their website: http://www.moneyfactorystore.gov/2013intaglioprintsubscriptionprogramidealsinallegory.aspx

The prints go on sale April 19 and the first card will be issued June 3. Presale cost is $51 for the series of three. The final card will be released at the ANA show in Rosemont, IL on Aug. 13. This is currently the only exhibition the BEP has announced they will attend. Last year they put out a participation request for submissions, so they may have more shows under consideration.

It's interesting that they chose a vertical format and these prints look to be an improvement on designs of past years, but it's hard to tell from this low-res image how much of the cards are actually engraved. My guess is just the oval vignettes. If anyone can track down high res images please post them.

 

Looking forward to seeing them up close!