Rare 19th Century Bank Check Drawn on the “National Whaling Bank” of New London, Connecticut

Rare 19th Century Bank Check Drawn on the “National Whaling Bank” of New London, Connecticut, written on 23 December and deposited and cancelled on 5 January 1872. The check is adorned with the image of a harvester, bears a two cent Jefferson revenue stamp, and two bank cancellation stamps, and on the reverse the personal endorsement.

A very rare piece of whaling history, as well as numismatic interest. The Yankee whaling fishery was the largest in the world in the 18th and 19th Century. It was the most lucrative industry in the United States and in fact comprised the largest part of the U.S. gross domestic product. Wealth generated by the whaling industry funded the growth and expansion of the nation itself. It follows that many of our early banks (especially in the Northeast) were founded and backed by whaling money.  While much smaller than the Nantucket or New Bedford fleets, New London was also an important New England whaling port. Although quite scarce, one may occasionally find checks or even bank notes issued by these banks. In a time when people were just starting to become comfortable with the idea of depositing their money in a bank, one can imagine how re-assuring it was that the institution you chose to trust was named the National Whaling Bank.

The check is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted in a contemporary frame.

Measures: 2-5/8 in H x 7-1/4 in W
Framed: 9-1/4 in H x 13-3/8 in W