Catalog
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| Issuer | Commonwealth of Virginia Treasury |
|---|---|
| Year | 1862 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | VIRGINIA TREASURY NOTE Richmond May 15 1862 The Commonwealth of Virginia Will pay ONE DOLLAR to bearer on demand at the Treasury |
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| Signature(s) | E.A. Bennett for Auditor of Public Accounts and G.R. Cleaner for Treasurer |
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| Comments |
Virginia's wartime treasury notes were a stopgap against a severe coin shortage that bit hard in 1861–62, when Confederate citizens hoarded specie almost immediately after secession. Hoyer & Ludwig, the Richmond lithographic firm that printed much of the Confederacy's early fractional and state paper, worked under constant supply pressure — ink, stone, and skilled labor were all scarce, and it shows in the uneven print quality characteristic of this series.
Bennett and Cleaner signed by hand across hundreds of these notes. The sheer volume required for fractional circulation meant fatigued, rushed signatures were the norm, and authentic examples often look almost perfunctory compared to the careful autographs collectors expect on higher-denomination wartime issues.