Lee Bank $5, July 1, 1857, printed by Danforth, Wright & Co., NY and Phila. Pieces missing. Of the eleven bank notes in the purser's safe, this is the only one from the Lee Bank. The Lee Bank (Massachusetts) was still in business in late 1857, and in fact was a long term successful bank. During the "bank panic" period of the mid 1850s on the East coast, many banks failed, but not the Lee Bank. They were, however, subject to a rash of counterfeiters who "flooded" the region with fake $3 and (mostly) $5 notes, particularly in August, 1857. One bank memo notes the fakes used a red ink on the notes, common to other eastern bank notes, but not on original Lee Bank notes, which made the fakes easily discernable. But a ring of counterfeiters found a way to spread the $5 (and some $3) notes into the public by the usual process- mix them into the circulating currency a note or two at a time when presenting a number of notes at once. The scheme used women, young girls and men. At one point, sixteen counterfeiters were arraigned, many, including some of the girls, pleading guilty.Provenance: SS Central America Collection