Southern State Issued
Currency of South Carolina During the Civil War
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina
became the first State to secede from the Union. On April 12, 1861
her actions ushered in a 4 year long civil war when batteries in
Charleston under the orders of the newly formed Confederate States
of America opened up on United States soldiers manning Ft. Sumter
at 4:30 in the morning and continued the bombardment for the next
36 hours. South Carolina, unlike the other Southern States that
issued their own currency to finance the War, relied on taxes and
bonds of which the Bank of the State of South Carolina was the
agent. On December 19, 1812, the State of South Carolina
established this bank in the name and for the benefit of the State
and pledged the faith of the State to supply any deficiency in the
funds specially set apart as its capital, and to make good any
losses arising from such deficiency. The bank was authorized to
issue notes and bills for circulation. The original charter was
extended from time to time, and the bank continued in successful
operation until the end of the Civil War. At the close of the war
it stopped business, and in 1868 the charter was repealed and
provision made for winding up its affairs.
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
1861
25 Cent Fractional Note with bombardment of
Fort Sumter. This particular note is dated April 13, 1861, the day
that the fort was surrendered.
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
July, 1862
25 Cent Fractional Note
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
50 Cent Fractional Note
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
$1 Note with a picture of the Ol' State
House in Columbia
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
$1 Note with a picture of the Old State
House in Columbia but with a red ONE overprint--a much rarer note
than the note without the overprint
... Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
$1 Note featuring slaves and a statue of
John C. Calhoun, advocate of nullification and State
rights.
...Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
$2 Note featuring the portrait of John C.
Calhoun, advocate of nullification and State
rights.
...Bank of the State of South Carolina
1862
$5 Note featuring the allegorical Minerva
and a maiden. The busts of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin
are pictured on the sides.
...Bank of the State of South Carolina
1861
$10 Note featuring the painting entitled
"The Rescue" which portrays Sergeants Jasper and Newton rescuing
American Prisoners from the British in 1779 during the American
Revolutionary War. The left portrait is that of General Daniel
Morgan who defeated the British at Cowpens S.C. and the right
portrait is Colonel Andrew Pickens, also a hero at
Cowpens.
... State of South Carolina
1863
Fractional Notes with Palmetto trees, the
State symbol
