Southern State Issued
Currency of Virginia During the Civil War
As a result to the firing on of Fort
Sumter, April 15, 1861 - President Lincoln issued a Proclamation
calling for 75,000 militiamen. As a result of Lincoln's call to
arms, Virginia seceded on April 17, 1861 and became the 8th State
to leave the Union.
During the Civil War, the state government in Richmond authorized
through four different Acts, the issuance of Treasury notes backed
only by the faith of the state to raise money for her defenses and
to arm and supply the state militia. The first series of notes
printed and released during 1861 were done so under two separate
Acts. The first act...the Act of April 30, 1861, authorized the
issuance of $3,000,000 in 6% interest bearing notes. The second
act...the Act of June 28, 1861, authorized the issuance of
$2,000,000 in 6% interest bearing notes and $2,000,000 in
non-interest bearing notes. The 1862 issues were released under the
Act of December 4, 1861, which authorized the issuance of
$4,000,000 in non-interest bearing notes and the final Act of March
31, 1862, which authorized the issuance of $1,300,000 in
non-interest bearing $5 and $1 notes. All State of Virginia
Treasury notes were printed by two firms that printed notes for the
Confederate States of America central government...Keatinge &
Ball, and Hoyer & Ludwig...and is the reason for the better
quality and appearance of her notes compared to most of the other
Southern state issued notes during the War. All Virginia Treasury
notes are uniface.
1861 Issue
$10 non-interest bearing Note with an
allegorical Liberty standing
$20 interest bearing Note with a picture of
George Washington and an allegorical Minerva standing. Only 36,048
of this note were issued.
1862 Issue
$1 non-interest bearing Note with Ceres
seated and Virginia Civil War Governor John Letcher
$5 non-interest bearing Note with gladiator
scene and picture of State Auditor Jonathan
Bennett.
$10 non-interest bearing Note with Ceres
seated and Virginia ex-Governor Floyd (1830-1834)
$50 non-interest bearing Note with
allegorical figures of Ceres, Commerce and Navigation. The picture
is James Murray Mason, author of the Fugitive Slave Law and
Confederate envoy to England.
$100 non-interest bearing Note with George
Washington, an Indian and Civil War Governor John
Letcher.
