Houston, TX - $2 1875 Fr. 390 The National Exchange Bank Ch. # 2092 PMG Very Good 8.. ...
Description
Only Texas National Bank Note Deuce Survivor
Houston, TX - $2 1875 Fr. 390 The National Exchange Bank Ch. #
2092 PMG Very Good 8.A Texas First Charter Deuce had long eluded the grasp of every Texas National Bank Note collector and that included collector extraordinaire William Philpott, who served nearly 50 years in the positions of editor and secretary of the Texas Bankers Association. Philpott started seriously collecting large size Texas Nationals in 1929 with the change from large to small size notes. If Mr. Phil could not turn one up in 40 years of National collecting, the reasoning was there were just no Lone Star deuces out there. A Texas Lazy Deuce was always talked about by Texas collectors as the "Holy Grail" of Texas Nationals. To the astonishment of this future cataloger and other Texas collectors, about 25 years ago, a leading Texas paper money dealer was showing a grainy photocopy of a Texas $2 and taking bids for a private auction. That photocopy was of the serial number 97-A note in this lot. The winning bidder was an advanced Texas collector, who later sold it to our consignor. No other Texas $2 has even been hinted about in the quarter century since its discovery.
Only four national banks in Texas issued Original $2s, charter number 1642 Galveston, charter number 1657 San Antonio, charter number 2092 Houston, and charter number 2099 Denison. As far as Series 1875 $2s are concerned, there was just a single bank that issued that type, and it was charter number 2092, which is in this lot. The total number of $2s printed for Texas banks was 7,000 Originals and just 202 Series 1875 notes. We are pleased to have been selected as the auctioneer for this amazing deuce that has beaten all odds in order to be offered at public auction. The PMG back label mentions restoration, but all work has been skillfully executed with the final result being a very collectable note. Also, the signature of Cashier T(homas) L. Blanton has always been bold on this note. This may be the only chance that today's generation of Texas collectors will have to lasso the only surviving deuce on the state.
More information about Texas National Bank Notes.
Estimate: $50,000 - up.
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Auction Info
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This lot is in: 2 -
Heritage Signature® Auctions Floor Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 20201-21064) - 11:00 AM Central Time, Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
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