Where there Confederate Coins???

Where there Confederate Coins???

I have often seen Banknotes issued by the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

This morning I was wondering how they managed for small change. Were coins minted in the Confederate States?

I do not believe I have ever seen any.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

yes they made very few half dollars and some 1 cent pieces,but almost none exist today so they go for BIG bucks

 

And it is my understanding that NONE of the Confederate patterns were issued for general circulation.

There were, however, U.S. Half Dollars that were minted at the New Orleans mint after it fell into Confederate hands. Such coins were minted until the stock of silver was depleted. (I believe for about a month or so)

 

After the Dahlonega Mint was seized by Confederate troops in 1861 the State of Georgia and the CSA struck the entire mintage of the 1861-D gold dollars. I've read that the CSA likely produced some 1861-D half eagles at the mint as well.

 

Indeed. Also in Dahlonega's case, it's my understanding that they were U.S. designs.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

I read that inflation was high in the CSA, but for the first year or so I guess they just used Northern coins that must have already been in circulation.

 

You're welcome :thumb:

They used anything they could get their hands on, even beyond the 1st year.

I almost forgot, there was the alleged Jefferson Davis dime/token, possibly produced by the Paris Mint too.

http://www.coins2.com/imgsearch/dim...-States-of-America-Jefferson-Davis-dime-.html

 

And Civil War Tokens

 

Wow! $7000 for the Confererate Coin.

Well out of my pocket

Never seen any tokens.

Anyone any pics?

 

get you some nice copies, or an 1861 O half with the die crack in it.

 

Does anyone have a better write-up than that? Its a very interesting piece and deserves more info than the pathetic write-up that site gives. 1861-O halves were also produced after the secession of Louisiana, yet before it joined the CSA.

Here's mine (one of the last US coins I bought!):

1861-O half dollar, struck under the sovereign State of Louisiana, February or March 1861. Die pair 3-D, W-06 variety.

 

There is a write-up in Breen's about this specimen. It isn't very thorough, though - about 3 or 4 lines.

 

There were some efforts made to produce 4 confederate coins; a copper cent, a silver half dollar, a $5 gold coin, and a $20 gold double eagle, although the gold coins never made it past the design/pattern phase.

The CSA contracted with a Mr Robert Lovett from Philadelphia for the minting of cents for the Confederate States. Mr Lovett said he received an order to make these coins for the Confederacy from a well known jewelry firm in Philadelphia. He cast a die and minted 59 specimens before the die cracked. He became afraid that the United States Government might arrest him for aiding the enemy, so he buried the lot of them in his cellar until after the war.
In 1861, the CSA seized the New Orleans mint. The confederate director of the New Orleans mint caused a design to be created and then engraved into a die for a Confederate Half Dollar. Only four pieces were ever struck (these on a hand press) and they bore the same obverse as the 1861-O U.S. half dollar.

For the gold coins I found the following: On April 29, 1861, Superintendent Elmore forwarded a design to Secretary Memminger. This design was prepared by the New Orleans architectureal firm of Messers, Galllier & Esterbrook. The description which accompanied this design is as follows: "...The principal figure, the Goddess of Liberty, seated holds in her right hand a staff surmounted by the liberty cap: her left arm rests on a shield (there being no coat of arms yet adopted) is shown a portion of the flag of the Confederate, unfurled; to the left of the figure will be observed sugar-cane growing, abale of cotton, a surear hogshesasd, and a bale of tobacco; to the right, cotton in its various stages of growth, as also tobacco. On the reverse side is an endless chain composed of fifteen links: South Carolina, having taken the lead, occupies the top link, and the other linkS represent, right and left, the other States in the order of their secession; the remaining blank lines are an invitation to the border States to hasten to inscribe thir names within the circle. The stars of the Confederate States are distinct; those of the border StAtes are in twilight, but visible, soon, we hope to stand out as boldly as their neighbors. In the center is an inscribed monogram composed of the letters CSA."

I've got re-productions of these four coins; if anyone is interesed in seeing their photo, I'll upload them.

 

They did'nt make many coins but there are all kinds of neat affordable civil war tokens. This is one of mine from 1863.

 

More so than repros, I'd be interested in seeing original sketches or plasters for the gold.

 

Lovette only struck 12 coins in the copper nickel alloy of the cent at that time. After he mistakenly passed one in a bar in 1873 after the war was over, Hazeltine purchased the remaining original copper cents, and arranged to have restrikes made in 1874. The dies broke during the restriking (7 gold, 12 silver, and 55 copper, but no copper-nickel). The dies were assumed to be lost until they turned up defaced in the hands of Bashlow in 1961, and the defaced dies were used to make a transfer die and struck 30,156 in various metals and red fiber (plastic). These are called Bashlow restrikes or more proper " second restrikes". The dies were then donated to the Smithsonian.

http://www.rebelstatescurrency.com/bashlow.html

http://www.pcgs.com/articles/article2903.chtml

 

Regarding the Jefferson Davis dime, excerpt from Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, Walter Breen, (c) 1988, pg. 666:

"b. head l., dividing JEFFERSON DAVIS; below, unidentified signature C.R. Rev., date 1861 within wreath, OUR FIRST PRESIDENT around upper half. Silver, reeded edge. About 7/10" = 18mm. Weight ?. Always looped or with loop removed from top edge. About 12 know, some gilt. DeWitt C1861-1. gARRETT:1999-2000, $700 each. Called the "Jefferson Davis dime," from the size."
​

It should be noted that no illustration of the specimen is provided in the book.

 

"Lot 330: [ Coins ] 1861 Jefferson Davis CSA First President Dime. Breen p.666 b; Bertram MBR.861.W6. Choice Very Fine. Very rare: fewer than 15 different



Auction House: Stack's
Auction Location: USA

Auction Date: 2003



Description: [ Coins ] 1861 Jefferson Davis CSA First President Dime. Breen p.666 b; Bertram MBR.861.W6. Choice Very Fine. Very rare: fewer than 15 different specimens are thought to survive. The obverse of this enigmatic medalet bears the bust of President Jefferson Davis facing to the right. Around is inscribed JEFFERSON.DAVIS. Below are the engraver's initials, C.R. The reverse bears a laurel wreath with the date 1861 within and the legend CSA FIRST PRESIDENT around. The edge is reeded. The piece was once looped at the top for wearing as this seems to be the way they were made. Apparently made of silver and at 17.8 mm about the diameter of a U.S. Dime, which is how the piece got its name. The origin of the piece is obscure but since John Work Garrett bought his example from the June, 1886 Maris sale we know that they were made within 25 years of their date at the very latest. The fact that the engraver of the Jefferson Davis Dime also cut the portrait die for the 1861 Beauregard Dime (see next lot), together with the fact that the Beauregard Dime was first mentioned in 1868 in the American Journal of Numismatics, strongly suggest that the Jefferson Davis Dime also dates back to 1868 and was part of a set of medalets honoring heros of the Confederate States of America. John Ford noted in Numisma (November-December, 1956) that a Jefferson Davis Dime existed in gold (first described by Frossard in Numisma May 1879) and stated he thought the issue had been struck in Paris. It is unlikely that the Jefferson Davis Dime was issued by or even for the Confederacy. The 1861 Confederate Half Dollar is the only coin the CSA is known to have struck and the 1861 CSA Cent is the only coin believed to have been privately made for the Confederacy. The Jefferson Davis Dime may have been made in 1861 in Paris as an ornament to be worn by those supporting the Old South's cause at a time when the fortunes of the rebels were at their height. Ex H.T. Zinsmeister in October 1963."

 

Thank you! An interesting piece. AND a properly cited description. Kudos to Stacks.

 

This is one of the few Confederate Civil War token that I have. Most of the Confederate issues are a little pricey. This one set me back almost $2500 about 3 years ago. It is id LA670A-1do, from New Orleans, and is the only variety listed for the state of Louisiana, R8 rarity (5-10 known).