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Highly Desirable and Rare Emperor Norton I Note ~ The First “Emperor” Of California, CA - San Franci

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Paper Money - United States Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Highly Desirable and Rare Emperor Norton I Note ~ The First “Emperor” Of California, CA - San Franci
IMPORTANT NOTE ON BUYERS PREMIUMS:

Lot 100 to 343 have a premium of 15%.

The rest of the sale is 19.5% as noted in the listing.

Lot Pick Up: Holabird-Kagin Americana,
3555 Airway Drive Ste #309,
Reno NV 89511,
Sunday - December 9, 10am-4pm
1878 - This is a note issued by THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTON I. This 50 cent bond issued on 1 August 1878 promises that the bearer will be paid 50 cents in 1880 with interest at five percent per annum.

This note was chosen as one of the 100 greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers and David M. Sundman. It was issued in denominations of 50 cents to $100 at a rate of about 300 annually. There are fewer than three dozen still known to exist today. It appears to have been trimmed at the edges, although this does not affect the border or images of the document. The bill measures 9.25"x 4.25" and has some fold creasing. A small crescent shaped piece is missing from the bottom and there appears to be some adhesive stains on the back. It is signed by His Majesty himself, Norton I Emperor.

Joshua Norton was a businessman who came to San Francisco from South Africa in the 1850s. After making some real estate purchases with a $40,000 inheritance, he invested in a ship load of rice. He intended to corner the rice market due to the large population of Chinese in the "City". Unfortunately, three other shiploads arrived in the bay shortly after, bottoming out the rice market and bankrupting Norton.

Whether the financial distaste was the cause or not, Norton left San Francisco for a few years and returned as the self-proclaimed "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico".

Like any good leader of a government, real or imagined, the Emperor had to raise capital to support his government, hence, the Emperor Norton note.

No one was really sure if he was insane or just eccentric, nonetheless, he could eat in their best restaurants in town for free, was saluted by the local police officers, and much loved by the community. Evidence of the affection that San Francisco held for their monarch was on clear display when more than 20,000 people attended his funeral in 1880.

This is a very rare note that has more character and provenance than a dozen others of the time. This is your chance to own a piece of real American royalty. -62050