pink Brantfords

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OK, seriously, what is the deal with the pink Bank of Brantford chartered notes? (Charlton catalogue #40-12-02R to 40-12-08R)  I have avoided collecting them to date because I was under the impression that they were not part of a real issue.  Can't remember where I got this idea, but I heard they were printed in the 1950s or 1960s, not the 1850s, by someone who got a hold of the original plates.  That would kind of explain why these notes are only available as remainders and why "Sault St. Marie" appears on them, but then recently, I saw a low-grade pinkie for sale, and it looked pretty beat up, like it had been playing linebacker for the Hamilton Tigercats.  I can't remember if it was signed.  So now I'm totally confused about these notes.  Does anyone know the history of the pink Brantfords and care to enlighten us?

They were printed a very long time ago by the American Bank Note Co.  They were salvaged by someone who spotted them when ABN sent them to the dump in the early 1950's, and were sold to a NYC coin dealer who cut up the sheets and retailed the notes at 25¢ each.  The price has gone up a little since.  The prices would not have reached anywhere near their present levels if these notes were modern productions.  All known pink Sault Ste. Marie notes are unsigned remainders, and they tend to be in high grade.

It could also have been a "pocket piece", carried in someone's wallet for many years (for whatever reason - show & tell?)