BOSTON Massachusetts
The Webster Bank
$5 January 1853
Haxby MA-400 C8
This $5 note from The Webster Bank of Boston, dated January 1853, is a "very experienced" contemporary counterfeit. Cataloged as Haxby MA‑400 C8, the note reflects the widespread counterfeiting challenges faced by Massachusetts banks during the mid‑19th century. Produced during the period of circulation, such counterfeits were intended to pass in everyday commerce and often closely imitated genuine issues. The heavy wear and damage visible today are consistent with prolonged handling and detection rather than modern alteration. Counterfeit notes like this were frequently retained as evidence or reference material once identified, accounting for their survival. Today, contemporary counterfeits are collected as legitimate historical artifacts, offering insight into early banking practices, security limitations, and the realities of paper money circulation in antebellum Boston.
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