By the late 1850's the American Bank Note Company (ABNC) had become the leading security printer in the USA. At that time ABNC was producing large quantities of high quality notes for the many private banks in the USA (obsolete banknotes). Although usually printed in one color, the designs were many times spectacular.

ABNC rapidly expanded its market penetration into foreign governments and private banks overseas. In 1862, large orders for Greece and Colombia began a rise by ABNC to international prominence in high quality, multicolored bank note printing. In the 1860's and 1870's notes were usually printed in colors, and because of the outstanding quality, the notes were some of the highest quality and most beautiful ever made.

The majority of currency produced at that time was for Latin American governments and banks. By that time it was not unusual to see the same or similar vignettes on notes of several countries. In the twentieth century, ABNC produced notes for more countries, although the main market seemed to be Latin America.

One large market in which ABNC was the dominant force was China, where they supplied notes for the many issuing authorities all over China. A new marketplace emerged in the 1930's and 1940's with the beginning of World War II. New countries ordering notes from ABNC in that period included Belgian Congo, French West Africa, Israel, Martinique, Morocco, The Netherlands and the Antilles, Surinam and Turkey.

In the 1970's many other security firms from overseas, and intense nationalism served to decrease the market of ABNC. Many countries built their own security printing facilities. The period of foreign collector interest in the marvelous products of ABNC is 1862 to 1970.