Confederate Paper Money

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I was reading a recent thread about authenticating Civil War swords. It occured to me that I might get some advise on some items I purchased years ago.

I would like to authenticate some Confederate bills, including $1, $2, $5, and $10 notes. I aquired these some years ago from an antique shop, but never thought to make sure they were authentic.

I was told that these notes were hidden away in whiskey barrels and lost for about a hundred years until recovered, and are believed to be cash to pay a confederate army payroll... I may actually have some paperwork to back these claims up from my purchase... if I can find them!
 
I was reading a recent thread about authenticating Civil War swords. It occured to me that I might get some advise on some items I purchased years ago.

I would like to authenticate some Confederate bills, including $1, $2, $5, and $10 notes. I aquired these some years ago from an antique shop, but never thought to make sure they were authentic.

I was told that these notes were hidden away in whiskey barrels and lost for about a hundred years until recovered, and are believed to be cash to pay a confederate army payroll... I may actually have some paperwork to back these claims up from my purchase... if I can find them!

Is there a "union bug' on them or the words "Printed in USA? Teasing...:smile:
 
There is a HUGE amount of fake Confederate money out there. The quality of the paper/frabric, and of the print job itself, was bad enough at the time that it is pretty easy to duplicate. Around the time of the centinial of the war I bought some "Confederate" money in a souvineer shop for about one dollar for about twenty bills - it wasn't sold as being authentic, only as a reproduction, but that wouldnt' stop somebody else from trying to pass it off as authentic. (I don't know what I did with it, I don't seem to have them anymore).
 
There is a HUGE amount of fake Confederate money out there. The quality of the paper/frabric, and of the print job itself, was bad enough at the time that it is pretty easy to duplicate. Around the time of the centinial of the war I bought some "Confederate" money in a souvineer shop for about one dollar for about twenty bills - it wasn't sold as being authentic, only as a reproduction, but that wouldnt' stop somebody else from trying to pass it off as authentic. (I don't know what I did with it, I don't seem to have them anymore).

there was a huge amount of fake confederate currency during the war. The feds counterfitted large amounts of confederate bills in an effort to undermine the economy and thus cause more damage to the government.
Authentic bills can be (but not all are) extremely valuable. Take them to a dealer in coins and currency and get them appraised. At the same time, make sure you have enough money to buy your lunch.... don't depend on your windfall.:smile:
 
Here are some uncut bills that are in a museum in Selma.

IMG_0348.jpg


IMG_0347.jpg
 
real counterfit confederate money( made during during the war) is worth more than real confederate

Learning to spot fakes takes years of experience but one easy way is in the signatures on the notes. All CSA and State issued currency had signatures in brown ink. Most modern made fakes have black ink signatures or stamped signatures and many have the appearance of being printed on brown parchment type paper.The originals were printed on mostly rag paper and very rarely turn completely brown. A counterfeit note produced during the War is usually worth close to the same amount as the authentic note and in some cases, depending on the counterfeit note, may be worth more than the original note.

The best known counterfeiter of Confederate notes during the War was Samuel Upham, a Philadelphia businessman, who started by producing stationary that showed Jefferson Davis's head to resemble a jackass. He then began producing counterfeit notes and CSA postage stamps in early 1862 which he sold for 5 cents each or $15 per 1000. Upham's earliest notes had his name and address on the very bottom edge of the notes. Upham soon found out that a number of people were cutting off the name and address on his notes and that they were being used in the South to buy cotton. He felt he ought to share in some of the profits so in late 1862, Upham began printing the notes without his name and address and raised the price of his notes. Towards the end of the War, when Confederate currency was practically worthless, Upham was offering $20,000 in counterfeit CSA notes for only $5. Years after the war ended, Upham claimed that he had printed 1,564,000 bogus notes between 1862 and 1863. He also boasted that Jefferson Davis had offered a reward in gold for his body, dead or alive.
 
Have a Confederate $10 bill. (Naturally, I'd have to ask Dear One where it is.) The signatures are so faded that it took another observer to see them. From what little I've gathered through minimal research, it is worth about $23 in today's money. But it is nice to look at, and wonder who handled it 150 years ago.
 
I was reading a recent thread about authenticating Civil War swords. It occured to me that I might get some advise on some items I purchased years ago.

I would like to authenticate some Confederate bills, including $1, $2, $5, and $10 notes. I aquired these some years ago from an antique shop, but never thought to make sure they were authentic.

I was told that these notes were hidden away in whiskey barrels and lost for about a hundred years until recovered, and are believed to be cash to pay a confederate army payroll... I may actually have some paperwork to back these claims up from my purchase... if I can find them!

You can post them here with a good scan I might be able to detect the fakes.
 
Here is a fake Confederate note that was published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper on January 11, 1862. It was probably produced by Samuel Upham.
Frank Leslie\'s Illustrated Newspaper, Jan. 11, 1862.jpg
 
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