State of Alabama Civil War consecutive notes

I have been searching for some time for a value on Civil War era state notes, with the same serial numbers, and consecutive alpha numerical characters. Strangely, I find more notes with consecutive serial numbers, and random alpha numerical characters, which wouldn't be from the same plate. A dealer once told me $15-$25 for a single CWE state note, depending on condition, at least doubling, if uncirculated, and potentially doubling or tripling again if consecutively ordered. 

Since I can only rarely find notes with consecutive alpha numerical characters, it's hard to confirm his conclusions. He did say that, in 40 years, as a coin dealer, he'd never seen 5 consecutively ordered, same serial number notes, in uncirculated condition, and the ultimate value would be what a specific collector would pay for their rarity. I have multiple series, including the 5 consecutive bills, but can't seem to pin down rarity, and thus, value. Can anyone help?

Thanks, Joe

Greetings @jmkeene.   It would be helpful to be able to see a complete (and properly cropped) picture of your bank note.  It appears to already be documented on Numista here:   N#463989

I do have some Encyclopedias on early bank notes from the Southern states like  Alabama, but I'm afraid that I can't find this particular one.  Others may be able to provide more assistance if they can see a better image of your note.

Additional comment:  Your note is also documented by the Alabama Department of Archives here:

https://digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/voices/id/27153

A four year long quest:

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/294997-fraction-civil-war-sequential-notes?in=818-activity

Ha!  He's persistent.  :-)

Got all of your messages, and links. The reason I didn't post a better copy of the original notes is because we all know what these notes are, and where they came from. I learned all of that 35+ years ago, when my notes were first acquired. What most people fail to understand is the sequence of serial numbers & alpha numerical order, as I explained in the original posting. It doesn't make sense to explain it again, since it's in the original post, but here's a better copy of one of the original notes, the “S” note in the series. I've had to add the word "Copy", so I don't find my exact note being sold on eBay in the future, by some brain surgeon from Nigeria. This image should clearly indicate what I am interested in learning, which is, how valuable is a series of notes, that includes the same exact handwritten serial numbers AND the alpha numerical characters, IN SEQUENCE. 

Yes, I've been persistent in this search for well over four years, since I made the original post online, having already watched for sequentially ordered notes on eBay, and other sorces online, for decades. No one seems to have the answer to my question, only a series of “Loves" and/or messages pointing me in the direction of information on a single note, not sequentially ordered notes. 

So, let's try again. Does anyone have any clearer understanding of the increased value of having sequentially ordered alpha numerical notes, of the same serial number?? Search eBay, and let me know if you find some that have sold, assuming they'd be uncirculated as well as in pristine condition. I'm guessing I'm going to have to send all of these notes to PMG, for certification, and then put some up on eBay, with a fairly decent reserve, to see how high a bidder/purchaser would be willing to go. I'm not really sure I want to part with any, but it would be valuable to know the provenance of series such as these, in the real world. The whole collection of these notes will likely be inherited by my son, when I go. It'd just be smart to make notes to him, so he doesn't drop them on some unscrupulous coin dealer that would take advantage of his naivety.

Thanks, Joe for the clearer picture and the extra information.

eBay?  No wonder your search hasn't been successful.  Why haven't you contacted one of the big auction houses (Stacks Bowers, Great Collections, Heritage Auctions) and asked them for a valuation on sequentially numbered notes?  That's what they do for a living.

Hi Tony,

I hadn't really thought these qualified, until I at least I'd had them certified by PMG, and they seemed to have fairly high limits on what could be presented for auction. I do have a rare note from J. Eli Gregg's company store, in Mars Bluff, South Carolina, that I once saw auctioned off by Christie's auction house. Here's some info on that:

https://coinauctionshelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25681

Guess I wasn't thinking so much about the Nigerian's when I posted those photos. 😂 

Thanks for the response. I'll check into the various auction houses you listed, for details.

Joe

I was doing a bit more research today, and found information in Criswell's “Confederate Paper Money” regarding the alpha characters on Confederate notes, which would also apply to obsolete bank notes & Civil War era state currency.

They are called:

Position letters

Serial letters

Plate letters