Beyond Face Value - The Collection

"From the 1780s to the late 1860s the paper money in circulation was truly diverse. Over 1,600 different banks issued more than 30,000 varieties of notes. Thousands more were issued by states, cities, counties, companies and individual merchants." (Professional Currency Dealers Association, 1991)

"Civil War history comes instantly alive through these notes, as they represent the struggle between states' rights versus the supremacy of the federal government. From the first, the currency of the South could only reflect the hope and despair of a society that gave its all in the ultimate battle, and lost. The money of the epoch is truly reflective of this lost cause. To keep it going, the Confederacy resorted to every expedient known to finance: Federal money was captured, alien properties confiscated, military supplies impressed, duties placed on imports and exports, and a direct tax instituted. Bonds and loans were abundant (also) in the hope of eventual peace. Only then would all the emissions of paper money be worth their stated value." (tons of old money photos from various US states at Link)

(looted from Look At This...)
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