Washington, Arkansas Interim Deposit Receipt (AR-21) – Edward Cross Signature

Description

Washington, Arkansas Interim Deposit Receipt (AR-21) – Edward Cross Signature
Certificates of this type were issued by various depository offices throughout the Confederacy when bonds, which had been sold or committed, were not readily available for issuance (this could be due to printing or transportation problems). This particular specimen is headlined “
Confederate States of America
”, and was issued from the “
Depositary’s
Office
” in “
Washington Ark
” on “
June 20
th
186
4
”. The body of the document states
"This will Certify, That
Uriah Cole
has paid in at this office
One Hundred
__________ Dollars, for which amount Registered Bonds, of the Confederate States of America, bearing interest from this date, at the rate of four per cent. per annum, will be issued to him, under the “Act to reduce the Currency and to authorize a New Issue of Notes and Bonds,” approved February 17, 1864, upon the surrender of this certificate at this office."
. It further states that this piece was “
Receivable for Taxes due in 1864, without
interest.
”. It is signed at the conclusion by "
Edw. Cross
” in his capacity as
“
Depositary
”. The left end of this document bears a rectangular box formed by a decorative border, with “
FOUR PER CENT. PER ANNUM.
” printed within. The amount of the payment is repeated at the lower left. No vignettes are present, as these forms were strictly functional and would be redeemed upon issuance of the bond. The back of the piece, as originally made, was blank, though it now bears the signature of “
Uriah Cole
”. The printer of this piece is not listed in the latest reference, nor is it printed on the document. According to the latest research work on the subject, a total of 9,000 of these certificates were issued from May to December, 1864. The authors, however, have assigned this piece a Rarity-11 designation, indicating that only 11-20 pieces are believed to currently exist. Pieces of this type are rarely encountered on the collector’s market, and are actively sought by those who specialize in these types of forms (this is especially true of those attributed to the Trans-Mississippi Department). While not technically a Confederate bond, these pieces make a great addition to any bond collection.
Edward Cross
was born on November 11, 1798 in Hawkins County, Tennessee. He received a public school education, after which he studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1826 he relocated to Arkansas and was appointed a federal judge for the territory in 1830. He served as United States surveyor general for Arkansas from 1836 through 1838, after which he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served from March 4, 1839 until March 3, 1845, after which he served for 10 years as a justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He was president of the Cairo & Fulton Railway (later the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway) from 1855 to 1862, and a Confederate depositary during the Civil War. In 1874 he was appointed attorney general of Arkansas. Edward Cross died on April 6, 1887 at his residence,
Marlbrook
, near Washington, Arkansas. He was originally interred on the grounds of his residence, though he was later removed to the Marlbrook Cemetery in Blevins, Arkansas.
The presently offered document exhibits signs of excessive period use, followed by less than ideal long-term storage. Toning is present across the entire surface, imparting to the paper a beige to light tan appearance. This toning is somewhat darker at the edges and along the numerous folds and creases. A few minor stains can be seen scattered throughout the design, mostly at the left and on the unaccomplished back (see illustrations). Some minor fading is noted on the printing, as well as the manuscript additions, especially at the serial number (the signature, however, is still strong). Numerous folds are present, with the central one in each direction significantly weakening the paper near the edges (separations are noted, some strengthened with archival tape – see illustrations). The edges exhibit significant damage, with the left being missing part of the design (numerous small tears are also noted, many of which could be strengthened with archival tape). This historic piece measures approximately 4 x 7½ inches and would frame nicely with a Confederate bond or period illustration of Washington, Arkansas (if one exists). Though not in the best state of preservation, this is a difficult to locate fiscal reminder of this turbulent era, and still worthy of inclusion in any Trans-Mississippi related collection. This is a great opportunity to add one to your collection.
A .95 charge will be added to the winning bid for postage and insurance.
A .00 charge will be added to any item picked up in person at our physical location.
If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing.
Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
American Coins and Collectibles
Shrevepor
t, LA