California Bank Note History
The California Bank Note History home page consolidates historical information on the National/Obsolete Banks, Bankers and Banking History of California. It also highlights What's New, along with some Famous California Banks & Bankers, and lists helpful Research Resources.
California County home pages
County Bank Note History home pages provide information on the Banks, Bankers and Bank Notes for that county during the National Bank Note Era (1863-1935), and also the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866) (if applicable for that county). All of the county's National & Obsolete Banks are listed with links to their Bank History pages. Prominent Bankers are also listed with links to their Banker Bio pages. Several Bank Notes are featured, as well as bank postcards and other bank related ephemera.
If you have a local County Historical Society/Museum, they may be interested in adding a link on their website to their County's Bank Note History home page in our wiki.
- (There are currently no California County home pages set up)
What's New in California Bank Note History
- Bank Histories:
- Crocker-Woolworth NB/Crocker NB, San Francisco, CA (Charter 3555) (1886-1925)
- Pacific National Bank, Los Angeles, CA (Charter 12454) (1923-1930)
- Farmers and Merchants NB, Los Angeles, CA (Charter 6617) (1903-1956)
- American National Bank, Los Angeles, CA (Charter 6545) (1902-1909)
- First National Bank, Los Gatos, CA (Charter 10091) (1911-1954)
- First National Bank, Oxnard, CA (Charter 9481) (1909-1922)
- First National Bank, Healdsburg, CA (Charter 10184) (1912-1930)
- Healdsburg National Bank, Healdsburg, CA (Charter 10204) (1912-1925)
- Banker Bios:
California Bank Histories Index
The Bank Histories are organized alphabetically by Town, then by Bank Open Date. To find the California Bank you are looking for, select from the following Index list. You can also search the entire wiki for the Bank's town name or charter number using the Search Box in the upper right corner.
California Banker Biographies Index
The Banker Bios are organized alphabetically by Last Name. To find the California Banker you are looking for, select from the following Index list. For an Index list of all Banker Bios for all States, use the Banker Biographies sidebar link. You can also search the entire wiki for the Banker's last name using the Search Box in the upper right corner.
California National Bank Stats, Lists & Graphs
The label for each of these Stats is a link to the corresponding pdf list of banks
- # Issuing Banks: 415
- # Non-Issuing Banks: 94
- # Large Size Issuers: 384
- # Small Size Issuers: 172
- # Territorial Banks: 0
- # Towns with Issuing Banks: 230
- # Counties with Issuing Banks: 46
- NBN Geo. Letter: P
- State Capital: Sacramento
- Statehood Date: September 9, 1850
- California National Bank Graphs & Lists
- # of National Banks Chartered By Year
- # of National Bank Failures (Receivership) By Year
- # of National Bank Closures (Receivership/Liquidation/Closed) By Year
- # of National Banks In Operation By Year
- List of 40 National Banks with Lowest # of Notes Issued
- List of California National Banks (Issued Notes) Sorted by Town by Charter#
Famous California Banks & Bankers
- Bank of California, NA, San Francisco, CA (Charter 9655) (1910-1987) Organized as the Bank of California on July 5, 1864, with Mr. D.O. Mills as president
- Farmers and Merchants NB, Los Angeles, CA (Charter 6617) (1903-1956) (oldest and largest bank of Southern California, chartered in 1871)
- Bank of Italy NT & SA/Bank of America NT & SA, San Francisco, CA (Charter 13044) (1927-still open as Bank of America, N.A., Oct. 2023)
California Counties Index
This index lists California counties that had towns with National or Obsolete Banks (1782-1935).
California Towns Index
This index lists California towns that had National or Obsolete Banks (1782-1935).
California Obsolete to National Bank Conversions
California did not have any Obsolete Banks that issued bank notes, so there were no Obsolete to National Bank Conversions.
California Banking History
Wiki Links
- Information on the origin and history of National Bank Notes (Wikipedia)
- General information on California (Wikipedia)
California Research Resources
- California Historical Society
- California Legislative and Congressional Members 1849 to Current -> Blue Book Stats
- The Higgins Museum in Okoboji, IA has a Currency Related Research Library, as well as major collections of Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska National Bank Notes on display.
- Don C. Kelly, National Bank Notes, A Guide with Prices. 6th Edition (Oxford, OH: The Paper Money Institute, 2008).
- Dean Oakes and John Hickman, Standard Catalog of National Bank Notes. 2nd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1990).
- The National Bank Note Census, nbncensus.com
- OCC Annual Reports 1863-1935 (U.S. Treasury Dept: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency).
- (The OCC Annual Reports are available online at the Currency Club of Chester County (PA) website).
- The Bankers Magazine 1846-1922 (New York: various publishers over the years).
- (The Bankers Magazine volumes are available online at the Currency Club of Chester County (PA) website).
- Rand McNally Banker's Directories 1879-1935 (Chicago: Rand McNally & Company).
- Polk's Banker's Encyclopedias 1895-1935 (Detroit and New York: Polk Bankers Encyclopedia Co.).
- James A. Haxby, United States Obsolete Bank Notes 1782-1866 (4 volumes) (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1988).
- Paper Money Journal, 1962-present (Published by the Society of Paper Money Collectors, spmc.org). Many articles over the years about the history of National & Obsolete Banks and Bankers. An archive of all back issues with search capabilities is online for SPMC members at spmc.org.
- FDIC, Bank Find History website.