Happy Holidays! One of the most surprising aspects of collecting currency is that Santa Claus was quite a popular subject of private banknote companies during the 1850s and 1860s. These depictions are very popular with collectors and can be next to impossible to find on certain issued notes. A breakdown of the various Santa Claus vignettes may be found below in detail:

Type I: A favorite of banks like the White Mountain Bank of Lancaster in New Hampshire. This vignette depicts a rotund Santa Claus seated in his sleigh attempting to takeoff from a snowy roof while his reindeer collectively struggle to gain altitude in the process. This vignette is by far the most common of the Santa Claus vignettes and can readily be had thanks to the aforementioned bank in New Hampshire or the well-made Contemporary Counterfeits that imitate the notes issued by the Howard Banking Company of Boston such as the example we sold in our November 2024 Showcase Auction (lot 7035) for $1,620.

Type II: The Type II vignette was a mainstay of the Obsolete notes issued by the Saint Nicholas Bank before it became the Saint Nicholas National Bank of New York (Charter# 972) in 1865. This vignette notably departs from more traditional depictions of Santa Claus. Here he's depicted as an elf-like creature seen emerging from a fireplace with a sack of gifts upon his back attempting to evade detection from a house cat (and likely children) before hastily departing for the next house before the night is out. We previously sold an $1 Obsolete from Saint Nicholas Bank with the Type II vignette as part of the Hararn Family Collection in our Spring 2025 Showcase Auction (lot 20189) for $2,640.

Type III: Roger Durand writes in Interesting Notes About Christmas that the Type III vignette accounts for the most frequently used Santa Claus vignette when looking at the number of banks that used this design. However, the Type III vignette is almost exclusively encountered on Proofs making it a major rarity when encountered on an issued note like the $1 Obsolete issued by the Iron Bank of Plattsburgh that sold in November 2024 Showcase Auction (lot 7044) for $7,500. This vignette depicts Santa Claus and his reindeer in flight attempting to land on a snowy rooftop with a chimney in the background.

Type IV: This vignette is recognized as one of the rarest Santa Claus vignettes. Here Saint Nicholas can be seen entering a room undetected with a bag of toys upon his back while holding a small doll in his left hand. Two children can be seen asleep in the background unaware of his presence which seems to please the bearded Saint Nick who appears fairly petite compared to most depictions of Santa Claus. This particular vignette is believed to be unique in issued form. A $5 Obsolete issued by the Bank of Milwaukee which features this vignette at left; it sold for $22,200 in our November 2024 Showcase Auction (lot 7048).

Type V: The Type V Santa Claus vignettes are exceedingly rare in issued form as only the Saint Nicholas Bank of New York used this arrangement for their $5 and $10 notes. Here Santa Claus is depicted in his sleigh traveling through the street with his reindeer while a frozen water pump may be seen in the background. Roughly 14 years ago we sold a stock certificate from the Edison Phonograph Toy Manufacturing Company that used this vignette above the title block as part of the 52 Collection Part II (lot 3638) for $3,737.50.

Type VI: This vignette is exceedingly rare having been used by two banks based out of Massachusetts and New York. We previously sold an example of this vignette back encountered on a $2 Obsolete issued by the Knickerbocker Bank of New York in our August 2011 Chicago ANA auction (lot 5252) for $40,250 once bidding had ended. Here an elf-like Santa Claus is sitting at the fireside with a toy in his right hand.

Type VII: The Type VII is by far the most enigmatic Santa Claus vignette and appeared on the $20 and $50 Obsoletes issued by the Saint Nicholas Bank. No issued or Proof examples are known to have survived. It is believed to be visually similar to the Type IV vignette save for the addition of a fireplace and chimney in the background.

To read the complete article, see:
The Many Faces of Santa Claus(https://stacksbowers.com/the-many-faces-of-santa-claus/)