5 Dollars Large-Size National Bank Note

The 1902 Series nationals came in three distinct subtypes — with a back date (1902–1908), without a back date but with "1902" on the face (1902–1915), and the plain-back variety that carried through to 1927 — and distinguishing them matters enormously for valuation. The plain-back issues are the most common, though rarity shifts dramatically by charter: a plain-back $5 from a small Nebraska agricultural town may be rarer than a date-back from a major New York issuer simply because that bank printed fewer notes before closing.

Each note was technically an obligation of the individual chartered bank, not the federal government, though the U.S. Treasury held a corresponding bond deposit as collateral. The issuing bank's name, charter number, and officers' signatures were applied locally before notes entered circulation. Charter numbers above roughly 10,000 are almost exclusively plain-back issues.