Maine Bank Note History

Featured Bank Note: $10 Series 1875, issued by Merchants National Bank of Bangor, ME, signed by A.P. Baker, Cashier and Edward H. Blake, Vice-President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

The Maine Bank Note History home page consolidates historical information on the National/Obsolete Banks, Bankers and Banking History of Maine. It also highlights What's New, along with some Famous Maine Banks & Bankers, and lists helpful Research Resources.

Maine 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 Maine County home pages set up)

What's New in Maine Bank Note History

• Bank Histories:
  • Merchants National Bank, Waterville, ME (Charter 2306) (1875-1905)
  • Burrill National Bank/Liberty NB, Ellsworth, ME (Charter 3804) (1887-1936+)
  • Pittsfield National Bank, Pittsfield, ME (Charter 4188) (1889-1934)
  • First National Bank, Pittsfield, ME (Charter 13777) (1933-1970)
  • National Shoe and Leather Bank, Auburn, ME (Charter 2270) (1875-1933)
  • Norway National Bank, Norway, ME (Charter 1956) (1872-1931)

• Banker Bios:

Maine Bank Histories Index

The Bank Histories are organized alphabetically by Town, then by Bank Open Date. To find the Maine 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.

• Maine Bank Histories

Maine Banker Biographies Index

The Banker Bios are organized alphabetically by Last Name. To find the Maine 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.

• Maine Banker Biographies

Maine National Bank Stats, Lists & Graphs

The label for each of these Stats is a link to the corresponding pdf list of banks

• # Issuing Banks: 120

Issuing Banks wiki page

• # Non-Issuing Banks: 7
• # Large Size Issuers: 113
• # Small Size Issuers: 58
• # Territorial Banks: 0
• # Towns with Issuing Banks: 63
• # Counties with Issuing Banks: 16
• NBN Geo. Letter: N
• State Capital: Augusta
• Statehood Date: March 15, 1820
• Maine 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 Maine National Banks with Lowest # of Notes Issued
  • List of Maine National Banks (Issued Notes) Sorted by Town by Charter#

Maine Counties Index

This index lists Maine counties that had towns with National or Obsolete Banks (1782-1935).

• Maine Counties

Maine Towns Index

This index lists Maine towns that had National or Obsolete Banks (1782-1935).

• Maine Towns

Maine Obsolete to National Bank Conversions

• The Veazie Bank, Bangor (1834-1873) (Haxby ME-140) -> Veazie National Bank, Bangor, ME (Charter 2089) (1873-1908)
• The Merchants Bank, Bangor (1850-1865) (Haxby SENC) -> Merchants National Bank, Bangor, ME (Charter 1437) (1865-1982)
• The Maine Bank, Brunswick (1857-1864) (Haxby ME-220) -> First National Bank, Brunswick, ME (Charter 192) (1864-1962)
• The Cobbossee Contee Bank of Gardiner (unk-1865) (Haxby-unlisted) -> Cobbossee National Bank, Gardiner, ME (Charter 939) (1865-1884)
• Ticonic Bank, Waterville, ME (1814-1865) (Haxby-unlisted) -> Ticonic National Bank, Waterville, ME (Charter 762) (1865-1931)
• The Peoples Bank, Waterville, ME (unk-1865) (Haxby-ME-590) -> Peoples National Bank/Peoples-Ticonic NB, Waterville, ME (Charter 880) (1865-1933)

Wiki Links

• Information on the origin and history of National Bank Notes (Wikipedia)
• General information on Maine (Wikipedia)

Maine Research Resources

• 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.
• Maine Historical Society website
• Maine Legislators Biographical Database