Step into Georgia’s antebellum banking era with this original 1847 Augusta Insurance & Banking Company $5 Note. Issued nearly two decades before the Civil War, this note captures the entrepreneurial spirit of a rapidly developing South—when local banks printed their own money backed by reputation and regional prosperity rather than federal oversight.
Note Details:
Issuer: Augusta Insurance & Banking Company
Location: Augusta, Georgia, United States
Period: Antebellum / Pre-Civil War Era (1840s)
Type: Obsolete Banknote
Series/Year: 1847
Denomination: Five Dollars (USD)
Currency: State Bank Issue
Serial Number: Handwritten; varies by note
Size: Approx. 180 × 75 mm
Shape: Rectangular
Obverse Design:
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Central vignette depicting allegorical figures of Prosperity and Agriculture, representing Georgia’s economic foundation in commerce and farming.
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Left oval portrait of a distinguished statesman; right medallion of a classical female figure.
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Text reads: “Augusta Insurance & Banking Co., State of Georgia – Five Dollars.”
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Intricate engraved border featuring denomination counters “FIVE” and “5.”
Reverse Design:
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Plain back typical of the 1840s state bank issues, printed on uncolored paper stock.
Historical Significance:
The 1847 Augusta Insurance & Banking Company $5 note stands as a relic of America’s decentralized banking era—before the National Banking Act of 1863 unified U.S. currency.
During this time, banks like Augusta’s issued their own notes to serve local trade and insurance networks. Each piece was both currency and advertisement of a bank’s stability, artistry, and civic pride. Surviving examples today are rare witnesses to the early financial independence of the Southern states and the foundations of modern American banking.
Presentation:
Each note is housed in a rigid clear holder for protection and presented in a wooden display box for elegant showcasing. Accompanied by certification from Lawrence of Dalton Civil War Relics, verifying provenance from the Argus E. Ogborn Collection.
Collectors prize this 1847 issue for its artistry, scarcity, and historical connection to Georgia’s pre-war commerce and early banking institutions.
For inquiries, reach out to MetalStacks at 561-529-3001.