I had taken great grandfather who fought in the Civil War, and in the end was part of the bodyguard detail for Jefferson Davis. When the end was near, they were paid from the treasury that was traveling with them. By accounts, my ancestor had received $26, and as of the last record I have, he still had what was called a "$5 sovereign" in his possession. Unfortunately, I didn't get this coin passed down to me, and all I have is a replica I bought at a gift shop. But I want the real thing! I bet someone here knows where I can get one!
I guess the question would be what exactly was the coin. Possibly just a US 5 dollar gold piece? The only actual Confederate coins were five half dollars and a slightly larger number of one cent coins, though these may be questionable. There were some regular US coins struck at the US mints in the Confederacy after the southern takeover, though they carried the regular US designs.
I live in South Carolina and have a few compadres that are deep into confederate bills. Is this a note or a coin you are looking for? Most of the confederate legal tender were bills to my best recollection.
@John Skelton if you could put up a picture of what you are asking about, I'm sure someone can help you.
The biographical sketch where I first heard about the coin said it was a "sovereign" which at the time made me wonder if it could have been a British coin. And when I bought the replica it said on the package it was a $5 sovereign. And once I can find the replica, I'll tell you more about it!
British sovereigns were legal tender in the Confederate States. From The Statutes at Large of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, March 14, 1861: Chap. XLII. -- An Act to regulate Foreign Coins in the Confederate States. Sec 4. That the following foreign gold coins shall pass current as money within the Confederate States of America, and be receivable for the payment of all debts and demands at the following rates, that is to say: The Sovereign of England, of no less a weight than five pennyweights and three grains, and of the fineness of (915½) nine hundred and fifteen and one-half thousandths, shall be deemed equal to four dollars and eighty-two cents. (Also listed were Spanish and Mexican doubloons worth $15.53 and French Napoleons worth $3.82)
If it's actually a British sovereign you're looking for the, those should be too hard to come by. A circulated one can be had in the $450 to $500 range, maybe a little higher.
