Manhattan Silver Mining Company 'scrip' is actually a series of bearer checks payable on the Paxton and Curtis bank, as private scrip was illegal in Nevada when they were issued. These checks exist in denominations of $1, $3, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

This 'scrip' was intended to be used to pay the miners working for Paxton and Curtis. The idea was so unpopular that a union was formed and a disastrous strike was threatened. The bearer checks were never put into use.

It is believed that 3,000 of each denomination of these checks were printed. For some reason, the $3, $50 and $100 denominations are more difficult to find than the other four. Quantities of them may exist in a holding or holdings off the market.