Sold For $6,050
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American religious leader (1805–1844) who founded the Latter Day Saint movement. Scarce Kirtland Safety Society $3 bank note, 6.75 x 3, January 4, 1837, issued to W. Parrish, signed at the bottom, “J. Smith, Jr., Treas.” Additionally countersigned by Frederick G. Williams. Backed by a slightly larger sheet and in good condition, with heavy soiling, creasing, and signs of use, rendering the signature indistinct but completely legible.
Organized as a joint stock company on January 2, 1837, the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company was set up to serve the financial needs of Joseph Smith’s growing Mormon community in Kirtland, Ohio. With no formal banking charter and insufficient assets to back their notes, the KSS quickly failed and was dissolved by November of 1837. Sparking intense distrust of Smith and the LDS leaders, believed to be enriching their own lives at the expense of their community, hundreds of bankrupted Mormons left the church as Smith faced lawsuits for ‘running an illegal bank.’
This incredibly scarce banknote, issued just after the KSS’s establishment, holds not only the signature of the LDS founder Joseph Smith, but also that of his close scribe, counselor, and close friend Frederick G. Williams, who served as Second Counselor in First Presidency of the Church of the Latter Day Saints from 1833 to 1837.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
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