Is This National Bank Note Authentic? And Other Questions...

Sorry about the small photos.

to the Paper Money Forum!

But the ones that sold at auction...were they unissued remainders or did they have signatures?

There is no such thing as un-issued remainders when it comes to national bank notes.

From the start, the notes were shipped to the banks without officers' signatures. When the officers signed the notes they were cut apart and placed in circulation.

If the notes were stolen in transit from DC to the bank, the unsigned notes could be declared stolen.

Bankers signed some notes and hired people to sign their notes. Others used rubber hand stamps. Often seen for larger banks, in Series 1902 notes the signatures were added directly to the printing plate.

For some unknown reason, at least to me, Series 1902 notes suffer from faint or missing signatures. The rubber stamped signatures fade easily. Certain pen signed notes appear weak while others don't.

Heritage Auction archives has, one with strong pen signed signatures, one with strong stamped signatures and faded/missing signatures.

-MV