Description
Clinton County National Bank • Charter #1997
Fr. 401 • PMG Very Fine 30
A legitimately tough First Charter survivor from Wilmington, Ohio, and one of only three known 1875 $5 examples for this Clinton County issuer. This note checks every box: sharply margined, boldly inked, dark pen signatures, and the kind of even, honest circulation that makes a VF 30 feel stronger than the label suggests.
Only 28 large‑size notes are reported for this bank, with zero small‑size notes known. For Ohio national collectors, Wilmington is a tight, low‑population charter where First Charter material is almost never available. This First Charter $5 also features the iconic Landing of Christopher Columbus vignette on the reverse — one of the most historically significant and visually compelling back designs of the entire early National Bank Note era.
Historical Background
Wilmington serves as the county seat of Clinton County, Ohio, with a 2020 population of 12,664. It anchors the Wilmington micropolitan area and forms part of the greater Cincinnati–Wilmington–Maysville region.
Founded in 1870 by the Society of Friends, Wilmington College remains a defining institution, and the surrounding region is home to more than a dozen Quaker meeting houses. The city also hosts a major National Weather Service forecast office, covering Southwestern Ohio and portions of Kentucky and Indiana.
Why This Note Matters
- Only 3 First Charter $5s known for this bank
- Just 28 large‑size notes reported; zero small‑size
- PMG VF 30 No comments, with bold inks, dark signatures, and excellent margins
- A tough, early Ohio national with real collector gravity
A high‑grade, long‑absent First Charter rarity from a low‑population Ohio issuer — and one of the few Wilmington notes that ever sees daylight.
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