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How to Identify Confederate Currency

From March of 1861 through February of 1864 the Confederate States of America printed currency in denominations ranging from 50 cents to $1000. During the same period, the United States, or the North, flooded the South with counterfeit notes in an effort to destroy their currency system. Confederate currency was worthless by the end of the Civil War, but not today. Some of the CSA notes are quite valuable, but you have to separate them from the counterfeits and fakes.

Things You'll Need

List of CSA issues
Lists of fakes̵7; serial numbers
Magnifying glass

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the the date and place of issue. There were only seven issues. The first, on March 9, 1861, was the only issue from the first capital: Montgomery, Alabama. When Virginia seceded, the capital was moved to Richmond and the last six issues were from there. These issues are dated July 25, 1861; September 2, 1861; December 2, 1862; April 6, 1863; and February 17, 1864. In 1862, the Act of April 17 created an issue with varying dates between June and the next issue in December.
- 2
  Measure the note. Confederate currency was only made in three sizes. Most CSA currency was 3 1/8 inches high and 7 1/4 inches long. Two 50-cent notes were 2 1/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches. In 1861 and 1862, five types of $1 and $2 notes were 2 3/4 inches by 6 inches.
- 3
  Look for uneven or rough borders. Confederate currency was cut quickly and by hand using scissors or shears.
- 4
  Examine the signatures. All Confederate notes were hand signed by two officers of the Registry and Treasury. The ink used was medium to dark brown and very corrosive. It probably ate through the paper to the back. Fifty-cent notes had printed signatures that were always either ̶0;Ro. Tyler̶1; or ̶0;El Elmore.̶1;
- 5
  Examine the serial numbers. They are hand written, usually in a different color ink--many in red.
- 6
  Check the back of the note. All notes had blank backs in 1861 and 1862. Starting in December of 1862 through 1864, the $5 through $100 notes had blue backs. The $500 note from 1864 had a blank back.
- 7
  Examine the paper. Fifty-cent notes and some lower denominations were printed on pink paper. All other notes were on white paper. Some had ̶0;CSA̶1; watermarks in print or script, and others had colored threads in the paper.

Antiquing