The top photo is of a $10 banknote issued by The City National Bank of Albany, Georgia in 1929. According to Vintage Albany Member, Alton Allen, one reason banks issued their own currency was because the US government wanted to track how and where money was being spent after the stock market crash of 1929. The practice of issuing bank notes by town had also been in practice before the crash of 1929 as can be seen by this banknote (lower photo) dating back to 1853. This and hundreds of more images can be seen online on the Vintage Albany Facebook Group.

Vintage Albany, the column will return next week.

Betty Rehberg is the historian for the Albany Journal and maintains a group on Facebook called Vintage Albany Georgia.