The Whitman Encyclopedia of Obsolete Paper Money is a multiple-volume study of currency issued by American banks from 1782 to 1866, before the modern era of National Banks and the Federal Reserve. Volume 3 is a guide to Massachusetts, specifically the towns of Abington to Greenfield. It's a companion to volume 4, and together the two volumes cover the entire Bay State.
The "Dean of American Numismatics," Q. David Bowers, has compiled decades of research from 18th- and 19th-century bank reports, contemporary newspapers, and other primary sources to create these books.
He gives the history of every Massachusetts town and city from Abington to Greenfield, as well as of every bank in those towns that issued this uniquely American currency. Each note is studied, and hundreds are pictured in full color, with information on grading, rarity, values, significant auction results, advice for collectors, and more. The Whitman Encyclopedia of Obsolete Paper Money is a monumental work. Essential for collectors, it is equally valuable for American historians. Volume 3 is an immersion in the life of New England and our nation from the Revolution to the Civil War.
"Destined to become a landmark event in the unfolding history of U.S. paper-money collecting. These works should be on the shelves of our institutions of higher education and in historical societies of all the states covered." — Fred Reed, editor, Paper Money Magazine
"This encyclopedic series is designed not just for specialists and collectors of paper currency, but also for all who enjoy learning more about various aspects of our nation's financial history." — Anne E. Bentley, curator of art and artifacts, Massachusetts Historical Society
464 pages. 700+ images. Hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inches. Printed in full color. Covering 51 towns and cities, 169 banks, and 3,945 individual notes. By Q. David Bowers. State editor: C. John F
