GALLERY: Owl Creek Bank protest
This $3 “owl” was issued in 1816. It was one of eight denominations printed by the Owl Creek Bank of Mount Vernon, ranging from a “half bit” note (6-1/4 cents) to a ten dollar note.
While historian A. Banning Norton allowed that the engraving of the Owl Creek Bank's currency hadn't been up to modern standards, he hastened to point out that it was far better made than the Confederate currency circulating during the Civil War.
It is ironic that while the Owl Creek Bank failed quickly, a surviving bill like this 12.5-cent piece is worth much more than face value to collectors today. This particular specimen is for sale on the internet for $578 at the time of writing.
This $5 bill was printed and issued by the Owl Creek Bank in Mount Vernon in 1816. The bank failed quickly, making such money worthless. This display will be visible at the museum of the Knox County Historical Society, 875 Harcourt Road, in Mount Vernon, after pandemic conditions have allowed regular operations to resume.
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MOUNT VERNON -- The wagon pulled out of the square and onto South Main Street. At the reins …
