Dealing with the disappearance of small change in the North

covers

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Oct 3, 2020
Location
Taos, NM
A new thread, parallel to an existing thread that that deals with the same problem in the CSA.

In February 1853 an act was passed in the United States congress that reduced the silver content of all silver coins other than the dollar. As the new coins had an actual silver value less than their nominal face value, all prior silver coinage disappeared from circulation. This included foreign coins that had circulated, with official sanction, until 1857. Further hoarding of silver during the Civil War resulted in the virtual disappearance of silver coins in circulation.

During the Civil War substitutes for small change were needed. Temporary measures included the use of postage stamps, scrip, and tokens as money. The government began issuing fractional paper currency in 1862 which continued in widespread use until the Specie Resumption Act of 1875 resulting in a more stable monetary system.

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Below is one last page for now, from 1865. The envelope was fabricated from wallpaper turned inside out and illustrates the shortage of paper in the South. These “adversity” covers as they are termed are quite diverse. Envelopes were home-made from maps and anything handy, the wallpaper covers were manufactured from rolls of the wallpaper that had not been sold yet for hanging.

This cover is the only example I recall seeing used after the re-opening of a southern post office after the war (uses with CSA stamps are not rare but very much in demand) and that green cancel is rare and appeals to me.

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The North issued "third issue" of Fractional Currency from December 5, 1864 until August 16, 1869. The two smallest notes were a three and a five cent piece. These little notes because unpopular because they did not hold up well in circulation. The North looked for a way to redeem and replace them. The answer was the Nickel Three Cent Piece which was issued from 1865 until 1889 and the Nickel Five Cent Piece which was issued starting in 1866 and is still with us today.

There had been silver coins for these two denominations, but silver coins were hoarded and did not circulate during the Civil War.

Here are examples of each item.

The Three Cent Note

Frac 3rd 3 F.jpg
Frac 3rd 3 B.jpg


The Nickel Three Cent Piece

1865 3 Cent NI All.jpg


The Five Cent Note. The portrait is of Spenser Clark, who was government employee in the printing department. Clark was a great innovator in the science of printing paper money, but he got into hot water for putting his picture on this note.

Frac 3rd 5 F.jpg
Frac 3rd 5 B.jpg


And here is the first nickel five cent piece, now just called "the nickel." This piece was from the first year of issued, 1866.

1866 With Rays Nickel All.jpg
 
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