Some silly questions, Sorry for the ignorance. I just located (found in among my other stuff) two pieces that I have no clue about: 1) 15 cent fractional (US) of March 3rd, 1863; like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:15cf-big.jpg I would grade it (if it were a coin) at no tears or folds, say VG or Fine. 2) Canada: Dominion of Canada: 25 cents, January 2nd, 1900. light fold, one tiny (1/8") tear in the bottom, left, but no missing parts. Any ideas of value? Or should I cancel the order for the Porsche 911?
Well the 15 cent is one of the better fractional notes so that is a bonus- in VG condition it has a Green sheet bid of $36 - fine bid of $45. The Shinplaster Canada piece is worth about $2-$5 or at least thats what I get for them when I sell them.
Yeah, it kinda shocks me also! I kept checking for Barber's initials on it! LOL. budgood: Thanks for the values.
The 15 cent notes are lovely in fresh form too: I can only rationalise this denomination as being useful for buying 5 of the 3 cent stamps. Ostensibly that was the purpose of the 3 Cent and $3 coin also, stamps.
Frank...since you already have some answers... I love my 4th and 5th issue fractionals....beautiful notes! Nice one SM RickieB
Ok, so another silly question... Why did they make fractional currency? It seems kind of redundant with the abundance of coinage? Jarrid
Good question, but while there was seemingly an abundance of coinage based on mintages etc, but it was mostly hoarded by citizens during the Civil War, gold and silver coinage traded at a premium over paper money during the time. Even the CN cents and three cent pieces disappeared from circulation. The coin shortages that were brought about by the Civil War did not alleviate until the mid 1870's necessitating the fractional currency. Fractional currency continued to circulate on some level until the 1890's or very early 1900's in some places. I have a few that my Grandfather had gotten in the late 1890's from circulation
