Here is the highlight of today's auction. Per territorial expert Peter Huntoon's article in the October Bank Note Reporter, this is the best and most exciting territorial discovery of the year. It could further be argued that this is the greatest Colorado territorial discovery since the serial #1 Denver ace walked into the 2006 ANA show. What makes this note so special is its condition and location. Only seven towns in Colorado issued national banknotes before statehood. Today's offering is the first time any territorial from Colorado Springs has been available at auction. There is just one other territorial note known to exist from Colorado Springs. It is listed as just G/VG and it is our understanding that it is part of the ANA holdings, meaning that it will likely never be available for a collector to purchase.
The $5 first charter offered here is in uncirculated condition. That makes it either the best or tied for the best $5 territorial known on Colorado. The pen signatures are delicate and brown and the paper is crisp and clearly original. This note was discovered in Washington state and owes its fantastic state of preservation to its status as a banker souvenir. It was stashed away by the cashier and held by his family for generations. This is the only banknote they had and based on the fact that it has taken 140 years for the first auction appearance to happen, this is likely a once in a lifetime chance to add this town to your territorial holdings.

Condition: Uncirculated