Rewards offered for rare bank notes from former Albany banks

ALBANY _ The Southwest Georgia Coin Club of Albany, in conjunction with the Albany Coin Show this weekend, is having a treasure hunt.

The coin collectors are looking for buried treasure that might exist in someone’s attic or closet. If you have what they are looking for, they will pay you a reward just for bringing it in to the show and allowing them to document its existence. Then, you get to take it back home.

Coin Club members hope to discover the existence of bank notes from some of the seven charter national banks that existed in Albany during its formative years. The reward for some of these bank notes range from $500 to $100.

A $500 reward is being offered for a bank note from Third National Bank of Albany, charter No. 6336. Jeff Neal a member of the Albany Coin Club, said there are no known examples that exist from this particular bank.

“If you own one of these bills, it could be worth thousands of dollars,” Neal said. “If it does exist, there is a very good chance it is in Albany or the surrounding area.”

This particular bank note can be a $5, $10 or $20 note. If more than one banknote is presented, the reward will be given to the owner of the note in the best condition, as judged by coin club members.

Another rare banknote was issued by the Citizens National Bank of Albany, Charter No. 7777. Only one known example has been identified, Neal said. A $250 reward is offered for the best and most rare example of a large size of this banknote. This banknote would be a $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100 note.

The final category with a reward is the best example of a small size Albany National banknote. The reward is $100. The banknote can be a $5, $10 or $20 banknote.

Neal said the rewards will be paid if the specific notes are presented. He said the project is not a solicitation to buy the banknote, but is an attempt to locate and preserve a historical treasure

Winners will be announced at the end of the coin show, which will be conducted Saturday and Sunday at Knights of Columbus on Gillionville Road. Currency dealers and coin club members are not eligible for the reward and bank notes can only be entered in one category.

Rewards are offered only for those bank notes mentioned above.

All seven of the bank charters in Albany in order in are:

— First National Bank of Albany later known as Citizens FNB, No. 3872.

— Albany National Bank, later known as Albany Exchange NB, No. 5512.

— Third National Bank of Albany, No. 6336.

— Citizens National Bank of Albany, No. 7777

— Georgia National Bank of Albany, No. 9729.

— New Georgia National Bank of Albany, No. 12863.

— City National Bank of Albany, No. 13223.

Questions can be directed to Neal at (229) 439-2391, George Anderson at (229) 432-9756 or Reynolds Horton at (229) 349-3112.

The coin show is set Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Admission is $1 with 13 and under admitted free.