| After
the Civil War broke out in 1861, the newly established Confederate
government began to issue it's own money as legal tender to the
citizens of the South. The gamble was that if the South won the
war, the money would be redeemable. The 1st note from the Government
of the Confederate States of America was issued in April of 1861.
From then on, notes were issued on through 1864. Almost every Confederate
note was painstakingly hand signed and numbered. It is not uncommon
for these notes to have uneven, or rough borders since scissors
or shears were used to hastily cut the sheets of notes apart.
Counterfeiting became a major problem
for the South. The North played a big role in this action by printing
counterfeit notes and distributing them in the South causing massive
inflation. As the end of the war got closer, Southern citizens lost
all confidence in the Confederate currency. Bartering, and the black-market
Northern "greenbacks" took over as main forms of exchange for goods
and services. By the end of the war, Confederate notes were totally
worthless.
Today, the value of these notes is
far from worthless. Their prices range from under one hundred dollars
for the most common and heavily printed series, to the tens of thousands
for the rarest. Most of the heavily printed issues are still available
to some extent, while the less common series are getting extremely
hard to find. One thing is certain though, all Confederate currency
makes as a good investment and has shown to steadily increase in
value over the years.
As a collector and dealer of Confederate and Obsolete currency,
I view these notes as a glimpse into a fascinating part of our nation's
history. My desire to collect began when I realized the great opportunity
to own currency that was once used by soldiers and civilians alike
during that tragic war.
Take a look through our site to find
many examples of Confederate and States notes available for purchase. Whether
you are an experienced collector, or just looking to obtain your
first piece of paper money history, I am sure you will find something
of interest. With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War just around the corner, right now makes a
great time to acquire your first note, or add more notes to your collection. Thank you. - Ed Mason |
