Archives International Auctions’ 89th auction on Nov. 21 features the Huntsville Collection of 75 lots of rarely seen Arkansas and Missouri Civil War Obsolete scrip notes, Arkansas Civil War treasury warrants, and a remarkable quintet of 1850–1860s Cherokee Nation and Indian Territory scrip notes.

This is one of the largest offerings of these rarities to ever appear in a single auction and includes a considerable number of unique varieties that have never appeared at auction previously. The auction is described as having something sure to excite avid collectors and American history enthusiasts alike.

The collection was put together over many decades by a passionate collector who acquired dozens of rare notes, decades before the internet was available to help in the search for and acquisition of such elusive rarities. It represents a major collecting achievement and deserves recognition for the extensive variety of rarely seen notes from this era. A considerable number of them are making their first appearance on the market.

Many pieces are exceedingly rare. Some of the many highlights include 24 different Arkansas scrip notes from 14 different issuers, with 17 of the notes being unlisted in Matt Rothert’s Obsolete Notes & Scrip of Arkansas.

The auction offers five Cherokee Nation or Indian Territory notes including four historic 1862 Cherokee Nation scrip notes, three of them from Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation (Oklahoma), and one from Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation. Also, an unknown issuer, Wilson’s Salt Works, Illinois River, Indian Territory, completes the group and deserves further research but may be another Cherokee Nation or related Native American tribe issuer. All should attract bids in the thousands.

Robert Schwartz, president of the auction house, says, “The Cherokee Nation notes are a living piece of history, a direct legacy of the famous Cherokee Nation. After their unjust eviction from the Southeastern United States by President Andrew Jackson and their fated march cross-country, the survivors of the ‘Trail of Tears’ reconvened with thousands of ‘Old Settler Cherokees’ who had voluntarily migrated years prior in the designated Indian Territory (modern-day Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma). Cherokees clashed during this initial period and right after the Trail of Tears, bifurcated by ideology, until in 1846, when the United States government forced warring factions to sign a peace treaty. Together, the once-fractured people established a complete and unified Cherokee Nation, ushering in the “Golden Age of the Cherokees” (1849–1860). Through these scrip notes, you’ll have a chance to glimpse the growth, prosperity, and educational strides that shaped the era and the area.”

The auction will be held at Archives International’s offices at 1060 Main St., Suite 202, River Edge, New Jersey. The online catalog and bidding are at www.ArchivesInternational.com.

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