Item 39: Two Twenty-Five Cent Notes, Fractional Currency, ca. 1874-1876
Item — Box: 16, Folder: 39
Dates
- Created: ca. 1874-1876
Creator
- United States Treasury (Organization)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Paper currency.
Condition Note:
Poor. Faded and torn. The page suffers discoloration.
Measurements:
Two Items: 2 ⅛ in. x 3 9/16 in.
Description:
The following items depict two twenty-five cent notes, printed as fractional currency during the American Civil War. These twenty-five cent currencies have Robert J. Walker’s portrait on the left side. Walker served as a United States senator from 1835 to 1845 and the Secretary of the Treasury from 1845 to 1849 under President Polk.Walker County, Texas was initially named after him but that was changed due to Walker’s support of the Union. These bills are from the fifth issue that was printed during the years 1874 to 1876. The date range has been ascertained by a comparison with similar manuscripts found on National Museum of American History’s website.
Fractional currency first began its issuing at the onset of the American Civil War as a response to the shortage of coins in circulation. The public at large sought the stability of the metal coins, choosing to hold on to them, and as a result, the government began printing these fractional notes, whose denominations amounted to less than $1. “These notes were known as postage notes because their designs were taken from existing postage stamps. Later issues of such notes in denominations under $1 had designs more in keeping with the appearance of currency notes. These issues were known as Fractional Currency and were authorized in 1863” (The History List).
Creator
- United States Treasury (Organization)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu