Confederate Currency
Specimens of Confederate Currency received from the Department of Treasury. The letter was dated February 8, 1913 from Franklin MacVeach, Secretary, stating that the currency had come into the Union Army’s possession at the end of the Civil War and was being sent out to different libraries as historical relics.
Confederate Currency:
- $50. Design: Portrait of Jefferson Davis. Black and Green ink. December 2, 1863. Ornate green reverse. Printer: Keatinge & Ball, Richmond, VA. 3rd Series. Two triangle cuts at bottom of bill. [Type 50, Criswell 350-356].
- $20. Design: Large sailing vessel, sailor at capstan on left side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: Hoyer & Ludwig, Richmond, VA. Two circles cut in bill. [Type 18, Criswell 101-136].
- $20. Design: Large sailing vessel, sailor at capstan on left side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: Hoyer & Ludwig, Richmond, VA. [Type 18, Criswell 101-136].
- $20. Design: Industry seated between cupid and beehive, bust of A.H. Stephens on left side of bill, Hope with anchor on right side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: B. Duncan, Richmond. 1st Series. Two triangle cuts on bottom. [Type 20, Criswell 141-143].
- $20. Design: Industry seated between cupid and beehive, bust of A.H. Stephens on left side of bill, Hope with an anchor on right side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: B. Duncan, Richmond. 1st Series. Two triangle cuts on bottom. [Type 20, Criswell 141-143].
- $20. Design: State capitol at Nashville, TN, (letter “G” on opposite sides of the design), A.H. Stephens on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Fancy blue reverse. Engraved: Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, SC. 1st Series. Circular cuts in bottom. [Type 58, Criswell 418-428].
- $20. Design: State capitol at Nashville, TN, (letter “B” on opposite sides of the design), A.H. Stephens on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Fancy blue reverse. Engraver: Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, SC. Lithographed by Evans & Cogswell. 3rd Series [Type 58, Criswell 418-428].
- $10. Design: Gen. Francis Marion’s sweet potato dinner, R.M.T. Hunter on left side of bill, Minerva on right side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. No engraver’s name. Second Series. Knife cuts in bill. [Type 30, Criswell 239-241].
- $10. Design: State capitol at Columbia, SC., (letter “A” on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. December 2, 1862. Fancy blue reverse. Printer: B. Duncan. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. 4th Series. Printed on pink paper. [Type 52, Criswell 369-3751B].
- $10 Design: Gen. Francis Marion’s sweet potato dinner, R.M.T. Hunter on left side of bill, Minerva on right side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. No engraver’s name. Second Series. [Type 30, Criswell 239-241].
- $10. Design: State capitol at Columbia, SC., (letter “D” on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. December 2, 1862. Fancy blue reverse. Lithographed by Evans & Cogswell. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball. 3rd Series. Printed on pink paper. [Type 52, Criswell 376-378].
- $10. Design: State capitol at Columbia, SC., (letter “B” on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Fancy blue reverse. Printer: Evans & Cogswell. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. 2nd Series. Printed on white paper. [Type 59, Criswell429-447].
- $10. Design: State capitol at Columbia, SC., (letter “F” on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Fancy blue reverse. Lithographed by Evans & Cogswell. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. 1st Series. Printed on white paper.
- $10. Design: Horses pulling cannon, (letter “H” on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. February 17, 1864. Blue reverse. Printer: Evans & Cogswell. Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. 5th Series. [Type 68, Criswell 540-553].
- $10. Design: Horses pulling cannon, (letter “C: on opposite sides of the design), R.M.T. Hunter on right side of bill. February 17, 1864. Blue reverse. Printer: Evans & Cogswell. Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. 5th Series. [Type 68, Criswell 540-553].
- $5. Design: Ceres seated on bale of cotton, sailor on left side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: J.T. Patterson & Co. 2nd Series. Paper cuts in bill. [Type 36, Criswell 274-282]
- $5. Design: Ceres seated on bale of cotton, sailor on left side of bill. September 2, 1861. No design on reverse. Printer: J.T. Patterson & Co. [Type 36, Criswell 274-282]
- $5. Design: State capitol at Richmond, VA., (letter “C” on opposite sides of the design), C.G. Memminger on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Blue reverse. Lithographed by J.T. Paterson & Co. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball. 1st Series. Half circles cut at bottom. [Type 60, Criswell 448-469].
- $5. Design: State capitol at Richmond, VA., (letter “D” on opposite sides of the design), C.G. Memminger on right side of bill. December 2, 1862. Blue reverse. Lithographed by J.T. Paterson. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball. 2nd Series. Printed on pink paper. Two triangles cut in bottom. [Type 53, Criswell 379-390]
- $5. Design: State capitol at Richmond, VA., (letter “G” on opposite sides of the design), C.G. Memminger on right side of bill. December 2, 1862. Blue reverse. Lithographed by J.T. Paterson. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball. 2nd Series. Printed on pink paper. Paper cuts in bill. [Type 53, Criswell 379-390]
- $5. Design: State capitol at Richmond, VA., (letter “G” on opposite sides of the design), C.G. Memminger on right side of bill. April 6, 1863. Lithographed by Evans & Cogswell. Engraved by Keatinge & Ball, Columbia, S.C. [Type 60, Criswell 448-469].
[Note: Information about the Type numbers and Criswell numbers obtained from The Official 2004 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Paper Money 36th Edition by Marc Hudgeons. 769.55]
Additional information about Confederate Currency can be found in the book Confederate and Southern States Currency by Grover Criswell which covers all the currency issued by the Confederate States.
Figures and designs on the currency
Cancellations
Cut cancels – knife or similar instrument has been used to make piercings in a design or pattern.
Cut-out cancels – a portion of the paper is removed from the bill
Gallery
1913 Treasury Dept letter concerning Confederate CurrencyConfederate Currency 1 ($50, $20, $20) front sideConfederate Currency 1 ($50, $20, $20) back sideConfederate Currency 2 ($20, $20, $20) front sideConfederate Currency 2 ($20, $20, $20) back sideConfederate Currency 3 ($20, $10, $10) back sideConfederate Currency 3 ($20, $10, $10) front sideConfederate Currency 4 ($10, $10, $10) back sideConfederate Currency 4 ($10, $10, $10) front sideConfederate Currency 5 ($10, $10, $10) back sideConfederate Currency 5 ($10, $10, $10) front sideConfederate Currency 6 ($5, $5, $5) back sideConfederate Currency 6 ($5, $5, $5) front sideConfederate Currency 7 ($5, $5, $5) back sideConfederate Currency 7 ($5, $5, $5) front side