Exhibit #4.1
Specimen common stock certificate (front)

                                  COMMON STOCK


     SHARES                                            BER (#) 00000
                                (Corporate Logo)

                             American Bancorporation
                INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF OHIO


This Certifies That

(Name)
(Address)
(Address)                                                    Cusip 024076 40 8


is the owner of  (# of shares)

                 FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE COMMON SHARES OF
                             AMERICAN BANCORPORATION

transferable in person or by attorney, on surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed.  This  Certificate  and the shares  represented  hereby are issued and
shall be subject to all of the provisions of the Articles of  incorporation,  as
amended,  of the  Corporation  (copies  of which are on file  with the  Transfer
Agent),  to  all  of  which  the  holder  by  acceptance  hereof  assents.  This
Certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer Agent.
         WITNESS,  the  facsimile  seal of the  Corporation  and  the  facsimile
signatures of its duly authorized officers.

DATED  (date)

/s/ Jeremy C. McCamic                                  /s/ Brent E. Richmond
CHAIRMAN & CEO                                         SECRETARY/TREASURER


                           (FACSIMILE CORPORATE SEAL)



    (COUNTERSIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED OFFICER OF AMERICAN BANCSERVICES, INC.,
                                TRANSFER AGENT)


<PAGE>


                       Specimen common stock certificate
                                   (Reverse)

                             AMERICAN BANCORPORATION

         THE CORPORATION  WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH STOCKHOLDER WHO SO
REQUESTS THE DESIGNATIONS,  PREFERENCES AND RELATIVE, PARTICIPATING, OPTIONAL OR
OTHER  SPECIAL  RIGHTS  OF  EACH  CLASS  OF  STOCK  OR  SERIES  THEREOF  OF  THE
CORPORATION, AND THE QUALIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS OR RESTRICTIONS THEREOF.

         The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate,  shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM-as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT ---  Custodian-------  TEN ENT-as
tenants in the  entireties  (cust) (Minor) JT TEN-as joint tenants with right of
under Uniform Gifts to Minors  survivorship and not as tenants  Act-------------
in common (State)
     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


         For value received -------------- hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
         PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
                   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE




            (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE)





                                                                          shares
       of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and to hereby
       irrevocable constitute and appoint

                                                                        Attorney
         to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation
         will full power of substitution in the premises.

         Dated


           The signature(s) to this assignment must correspond with the name(s).
        Notice: as written upon the fact of the certificate in every particular,
                     without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                            The above signature(s) guaranteed by



                                                     Signature      must      be
                                                     guaranteed  by  a  bank  or
                                                     trust company,  member of a
                                                     national or regional  stock
                                                     exchange     or    licensed
                                                     securities dealer.