Yesterday I visited the Tennessee State Museum in downtown Nashville and had the pleasure of viewing their wonderful exhibit of Confederate and Southern States notes. I didn't have the opportunity to take any photos but the memory will surely stay with me. From what I could see, most of the Criswell numbers were there, including nice examples of the $50 and $100 Montgomery notes. There was also a wide selection of state and private bank issues from the Civil War era. Most everything in the collection appeared to be in the AU-UNC range. This is definitely the most impressive paper money collection I have ever seen, and to top it all off the entire museum has free admission. Even if there was an admission charge, the Montgomery notes by themselves would be worth the price. Has anyone had a chance to see this collection? It is definitely a must see if you are visiting Nashville.
If I'm not mistaken , just about all of that collection came from one place . It was an old plantation/farm about 25 miles from where I was raised as a kid . Long story short , the Owner and husband of the widow who owned the Cain Farm sent this money home to her as he served in the Confederate Army and was something of importance as I do not know for sure what it was and he owned this huge Farm in Warren/Grundy County TN . The old lady just crammed the money in books in their library at the Cain home . Upon her passing their kids got the farm and assets . Their kids , kids/grandkids actually wound up splitting the money as the farm was sold during the mid 70's I think . There was supposed to be literally thousands of Confederate money in this old library of the Cain Plantation . Was also told two of the sibling brothers were just going to burn it as it was "worthless" but two other siblings stepped in and said NO . Some collector and /or somebody around Nashville bought the Confederate cash for pennies on the dollar if that . I have seen the display along time ago and there is more that is not displayed anymore . I don't know if the Museum got every piece but I heard that they bought a lot of it . Yes it is a wonderful collection !!
Thanks GrimReaper for the excellent background information! I would have assumed that a numismatist put this collection together more recently. The fact that it was all saved up by a Confederate widow during the war makes the collection that much more meaningful. Needless to say the people who saved their Confederate currency hoping that "the South will rise again" are now laughing all the way to the bank...
Thanks for the info guys...very interesting story. I would definitely stop and see the collection if I was ever in the area. Bruce
