1840 Remainder Note New Hope/Lanbertville
$1 banknote from the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company, based in Lambertville, New Jersey, dating to the 1840s. This type of currency is known as "obsolete currency" or "wildcat bank notes," which were issued by private companies and banks before the federal government centralized paper money production.
Historical Context
The Issuer: The New Hope Delaware Bridge Company was incorporated in 1812 and operated the toll bridge connecting New Hope, PA, and Lambertville, NJ.
Banking Operations: Like many infrastructure companies of the era, it was granted banking privileges to help fund the construction and maintenance of its bridge.
Company Closure: The company's banking branch ultimately failed and was forced to close in 1847, partly due to the economic instability following the Panic of 1837.
The Bridge Today: While the bridge company is long gone, the river crossing remains. The current steel truss bridge at that location was built in 1904 and is now a toll-free crossing maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Note Details
Design: The note features detailed vignettes typical of 19th-century American currency, including allegorical figures and portraits.
Remainder Notes: Many of the examples found today, like the one in your image, are "remainder notes," meaning they were printed but never officially issued or signed by bank officers.
Collectibility: These notes are highly collectible today.
$1 banknote from the New Hope Delaware Bridge Company, based in Lambertville, New Jersey, dating to the 1840s. This type of currency is known as "obsolete currency" or "wildcat bank notes," which were issued by private companies and banks before the federal government centralized paper money production.
Historical Context
The Issuer: The New Hope Delaware Bridge Company was incorporated in 1812 and operated the toll bridge connecting New Hope, PA, and Lambertville, NJ.
Banking Operations: Like many infrastructure companies of the era, it was granted banking privileges to help fund the construction and maintenance of its bridge.
Company Closure: The company's banking branch ultimately failed and was forced to close in 1847, partly due to the economic instability following the Panic of 1837.
The Bridge Today: While the bridge company is long gone, the river crossing remains. The current steel truss bridge at that location was built in 1904 and is now a toll-free crossing maintained by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Note Details
Design: The note features detailed vignettes typical of 19th-century American currency, including allegorical figures and portraits.
Remainder Notes: Many of the examples found today, like the one in your image, are "remainder notes," meaning they were printed but never officially issued or signed by bank officers.
Collectibility: These notes are highly collectible today.