Visalia, CA – $10 1902 Plain Back Fr. 635 New First NB Ch. # 12678 PMG Very Fine 20

CVC & Collectables presents an extremely rare Tulare County National. The New First National Bank of Visalia operated less than four years, closing in early 1929. Pen-signed and PMG graded Very Fine 20.

Banknote Highlights:

• Bank: New First National Bank of Visalia
• Location: Visalia, Tulare County, California
• Denomination / Type: $10 Series 1902 Plain Back (Large Size)
• Catalog: Fr. 635 (Speelman–White)
• Charter: #12678
• Serial / Plate: Bank serial 633, plate position B (per PMG label)
• Obverse: Portrait of William McKinley; blue charter number 12678; pen signatures of local officers
• Reverse: Allegorical standing figure with maritime motifs (“Plain Back” design)
• Grade / Holder: PMG Very Fine 20
• PMG Comments: Stains, PVC • Cert. 2452827-001
• Issue Facts: Bank organized/chartered 1925, liquidated 1929 into Bank of America of California; no 1929 small-size issued—only 1902 Plain Backs.
• Rarity Note (updated): Public auction records show three large-size appearances on this charter: two $20s and one $10—and the two $10 listings were the same PMG Fine 12 note reoffered.

Historical Significance:

• End-of-era large size: As a late (1925) charter, the bank issued only the last design cycle of large-size Nationals—the 1902 “Plain Back.”
• No small-size output: The bank closed in early 1929, just as small-size Nationals rolled out, leaving only large-size survivors for Visalia.
• Speelman–White period: Printed Treasury signatures place this note in the final print phase for Series 1902 issues.
• Central Valley scarcity: Short-lived, agriculturally focused charters often had small printings and hard local use, producing very few survivors.
• Consolidation story: Absorption into Bank of America of California reflects the late-1920s consolidation wave preceding the Depression.
• Local provenance: Pen signatures of bank officers provide direct, place-and-people context prized on National Bank Notes.

Collectibility
A premier Tulare County rarity combining brief charter life, only-type issued, and vanishingly low census. The early bank serial 633, plate B, and solid VF eye appeal (with noted PMG comments) make this a standout for California Nationals or county-specific sets—especially versus the previously published Fine 12 $10 that reappeared twice at auction. Find more alike here!