“Lady Justice” on Fractional Currency
With the widespread counterfeiting of the second issue of fractional currency, the third issue came into being. It is by far the largest issue with the most varieties and includes the smallest note every printed, both in size and denomination by the United States, the three-cent notes. It is also the issue that has five of the six most expensive notes ever sold, the Fr. 1351-1354 and the Fr. 1373A. The first third issue fifty-cent notes had the depiction of Justice holding scales and a sword. They were first released on December 5, 1864. The first were Fr.
Identification codes for paper money types and varieties
I am writing an update on Paul Garland’s book on Tennessee obsolete currency. I began with the objective of publishing a book on Tennessee merchant scrip as an addition to Paul Garland’s book on banknotes.
Civil War Stamp Envelopes, Their Issuers and Their Times. Book Review by Benny Bolin
Fred Reed has hit another homerun with his new book on Civil War Stamp Envelopes. The topic is one that has a limited collector base due to the relatively small number that still exist today (128 merchants issued 514 different varieties). But Fred has once again, as with his Encased Postage Stamp (EPS) and Lincoln books, gone above the normal item catalog and has completed a historical masterpiece. As a collector and researcher, I have been concerned that we are losing the history of the notes and other items as the hobby is seemingly becoming more focused on the financial aspect.
Obsoletes: Build Your Library
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:
