Description:

Abraham Lincoln
[Springfield, IL], June 13, 1859
Abraham Lincoln Rare Signed Check To Law Partner W.H. Herndon, Perhaps Unique as Such!
DS

A check signed by future 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), then a lawyer and aspiring politician, as "A Lincoln" on the signature line. June 13, 1859. [Springfield, Illinois.] Lincoln has also inscribed part of the date, the check recipient's name, and the amount due. The unnumbered check drew on Lincoln's account at the Springfield Marine & Fire Insurance Company (Springfield, Illinois) and directed cashiers to pay Lincoln's law partner William H. Herndon in the amount of $7.25. Partly printed and partly manuscript on laid paper with a charming blue vignette of a steamboat. Bearing the usual clerical markings including X-shaped cancellation marks near center and right, and a hole punch near the left edge. A vertical closed tear running into one of the cancellation marks has been discretely professionally repaired. The repair only affects one letter of Lincoln's handwriting, the "n" of Herndon's last name. A minor repaired closed tear at lower left mentioned just for accuracy. Else near fine. 7.625" x 2.5."

The same Lincoln signed check sold at Heritage Auction for nearly $8,000 including the buyer's premium in December 2011. Checks signed by Lincoln have proven to be a steadily increasing investment, and in the last few years, they have fetched $35,000 - $100,000 at public auction. A Lincoln signed check dated September 28, 1857 issued to saddle and harness maker Reuben F. Ruth sold for $31,250 including the buyer's premium in our January 29, 2025 auction. Lincoln signed checks from 1859 are desirable because Lincoln secured the nomination for Republican Party presidential candidate the following year (May 18, 1860).

The check was issued to William H. Herndon (1818-1891), junior partner in Abraham Lincoln's law practice in Springfield, Illinois between 1844 and the early 1860s. Herndon had met Lincoln when both shared a second-story room above Joshua Speed's store. Herndon later studied law at Lincoln's office when the future president still partnered with Stephen Logan. By all accounts, Lincoln and Herndon enjoyed a good working relationship and balanced out the other's extremes, temperamentally, professionally, and politically.

According to the Lincoln Log: A Daily Chronology of the Life of Abraham Lincoln [www.thelincolnlog.org], both Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln made financial transactions on June 13, 1859. In addition to making out this check to William H. Herndon for $7.25, Lincoln also purchased a $2 bottle of brandy at Diller's Drug Store. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lincoln bought some cloth at Smith's after returning some socks.

Abraham Lincoln had opened his account at the Springfield Marine and Fire Insurance Company with a deposit of $310 on March 1, 1853. He remained a customer until his death just over twelve years later. Lincoln used his account somewhat infrequently between 1853-1859. In 1859, his activity spiked, perhaps in direct correlation to his accelerating political career. According to the Springfield Historic Destinations Examiner, in the year 1859 alone, Lincoln made "25 deposits ranging from $27 to $625… and 84 sums, varying from $1.60 to $505 were withdrawn." One of those withdrawals was this check to William H. Herndon!

Springfield Marine and Fire Insurance Company received a special charter from the Illinois General Assembly on January 28, 1851. The charter permitted the insurance company to perform all the services of a bank except issuing currency. In its early years, it was known as the "cattle bank" because cattle raising was a primary occupation in the area.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 7.625" x 2.5"
  • Artist Name:
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Medium:
  • DS<br />

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April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
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