I've always thought that the area of U.S. obsolete notes remains the wild west of paper money; there is much in the field that has yet to be discovered and mapped.  But there are a great many references that have been created over the last century that collectors of state notes can use to help build their collections.  Many works have been sponsored by the SPMC over the last 50 years.  Here is a partial list of titles -- I am sure there are others still missing in my library:

Widespread counterfeiting of the first issue of fractional currency (Postage Currency) led Spencer Morton Clark to state that in order to protect the public, a new issue was needed.  The second issue (sometimes referred to as the first issue of Fractional Currency) was released on October 10, 1863 and ended on February 23, 1867.  The total of all four denominations was 161,341,194 notes with a face value of $23,164,483.65. It was estimated that 27,567,597 notes were still extant in 1884. 

About a year ago, I concluded my blog series on Large Size Replacement Nationals.  Since then, I've given a presentation and printed an 8-page handout for Memphis 2013.  The presentation (it can be downloaded here: https://www.spmc.org/member-presentations) was well received and was the best attended seminar at the convention.  An article is forthcoming in Bank Note Reporter.

A Green Thread in Fractional Currency

I always enter June with great anticipation of the Memphis International Paper Money Show. This year was no exception, though for the first time, my company’s annual trade show was scheduled in the same week!  Luckily that show was mainly centered earlier in the week, with Memphis centered closer to the weekend – so I attended both. This heavy schedule precluded me from building an exhibit for the first time in many years, but I hope to return to the exhibit arena in 2014.