New $3 Niagara Suspension Discovery Note?

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

In the recent (7/15/10) RCNA auction, G Bell offered lot 1311 described as:

"CH 535-10-04-04. Good Condition, hole is present, foxing on edges. Charlton Catalogue states "notes not confirmed" well we're confirming with this possibly unique note. Expect plenty of interest in this note. S/N 2541"

The Charlton catalogue lists 4 varieties for the $3 Niagara Suspension Bank notes. See the below.
{http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2498/niagsusdiscovery1n.jpg:http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2498/niagsusdiscovery1n.th.jpg}


This note certainly seems to be a discovery note. However, I am having trouble deciding whether it is of the Second variety, in between variety 1 and 2, or whether it is a counterfeit of the 4th variety. See my arguments below:

{http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3682/niagsusdiscovery2.jpg:http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3682/niagsusdiscovery2.th.jpg}

Any comments??

OK, no comments?

I am leaning a little closer towards a potential counterfeit:

{http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9087/niagsusdiscovery3.jpg:http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9087/niagsusdiscovery3.th.jpg}
This shows that the Bates signature on the discovery note looks good when compared to the 1836 and 1837 notes.


{http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7969/niagsusdiscovery4.jpg:http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7969/niagsusdiscovery4.th.jpg}
Now the 1841 issue should have the Hamilton signature. However, there seem to be remainders of the 1841 issue out there that have the Bates signature. How and why?

So the $3 discovery note could be an 1841 remainder similar to the $20 remainder with the Bates signature (whether forged or not). Since the 1841 issues have the engraved "Payable.." at the top, this was crossed out. Then the 1837 date and and the vertical manuscript "Payable.." was added to create an 1837 note.

Any comments?
Does anyone have an argument why this note is a true 1837 note?

There is a vertical red overprint on the discovery $3 note but I was unable to decipher it.  It may begin, "Payable at....".  I half expected it to be "Payable at Lockport" but that does not appear to fit.  Evidently it was originally payable at the bank, then made payable somewhere else by striking out "Payable at the Bank" at the top right and adding the red overprint (or stamp, more likely), then that in turn was crossed out and "Payable at the Bank" restored in manuscript form.
I do not notice anything of a spurious nature on the note.

Bob,
Here is a blowup of the "Payable at the Bank" and the red overprint (stamp):

{http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5184/niagsusdiscovery5.jpg:http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5184/niagsusdiscovery5.th.jpg}

To me the red overprint seems to be just 2 red lines; that is, no words.

So my question still remains: What is the correct Charlton number for this note?
It cannot be CH-535-10-02-04 since it has the engraved "Payable..." at the upper right. Can it be CH-535-10-04-04 given that it has the ms vertical "Payable ..."? Will it be assigned a new Charlton number?

Some of us had a close look at the note in Saint John, and better eyes than mine discerned "Payable at...." in the red stamp.  It was not possible to read any more of it, but apparently "Lockport" would not fit.
I do not see why it would not be 535-10-04-04.  The overprint and manuscript markings would not alter the basic type.