The First National Bank of Wagener was the first of sixteen banks in the state of South Carolina to receive its national charter in 1914.  Between 1865 and 1935 the state only chartered 97 banks, so sixteen in one year is astonishing.  The bank was originally chartered as a state bank in 1907 under the name Bank of Wagener.  As a national bank this Aiken county institution was solid from its chartering in 1914 until the early 1920s.  When it opened it was the second smallest in the state at $117,000 in assets; a mere six years later it had quadrupled in size.  
        By 1928 The First National Bank of Wagener was a shadow of its former self.  It was losing deposits and customer confidence; and it was down to only $172,000 in assets.  As it was clear the bank was no longer solvent it made an attempt to sell itself to The Bank of Western Carolina, but a deal could not be arranged and The First National Bank of Wagener went into receivership on February, 2nd 1929.
        Despite the bank’s rise and fall in terms of size and success it always chose to have a circulation of just $6,250.  It issued sheets of five and ten dollar bills and it can be assumed no more than 1,000 notes were in circulation at any one time.  Those numbers aren’t good for collectors as it means odds are only one or two have likely survived redemption and destruction.
        During the fifteen years The First National Bank of Wagener was open it had the same president and cashier, EB Jackson and WP Williams.

If you believe you have any currency issued by The First National Bank of Wagener, please contact me.