American Bank Note Company

The American Bank Note Company: How Private Engravers Shaped US Currency Before the BEP Took Over

June 15, 2026 by

Before the Bureau of Engraving and Printing consolidated federal currency production, the American Bank Note Company and its rival firms were the trusted craftsmen behind some of America’s most beautifully engraved paper money. Understanding this forgotten chapter of private currency production reveals why early federal notes look so different from anything printed after 1877.

The Sailing Ship Vignette on Early United States Notes: Which Vessels Were Depicted and How Artists Chose Them

June 15, 2026 by

The sailing ship vignettes engraved on early United States paper money represent some of the most artistically ambitious work ever produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and its predecessor firms. Understanding which vessels appear on which notes, how engravers selected and adapted their subjects, and what makes certain vignette varieties collectible can transform the way you look at nineteenth-century American currency.