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50 Cents State of North Carolina
| Issuer | State of North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Year | 1861 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Plain typeset note printed by letterpress, with the issuer's name in large blackletter gothic script across the centre reading 'State of North Carolina'. The denomination numeral '50' appears at the upper left, with the date 'Raleigh, Oct. 1st, 1861' at the upper right. The text of the promise to pay is set in mixed roman and italic type, with 'FIFTY CENTS' in bold display type at centre; a manuscript signature of the deputy public treasurer appears across the lower portion of the face. The left and right borders carry vertical marginal inscriptions. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | RALEIGH, OCT. 1st, 1861. THE State of North Carolina WILL PAY TO BEARER at the Treasury, on or before January 1st, 1866. FIFTY CENTS BY AUTHORITY OF LAW. J. SPELMAN, Public Printer. For Pub. Treas. Receivable in payment of Public Dues. |
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| Comments |
North Carolina began issuing fractional notes in 1861 largely because small-denomination coinage vanished almost immediately after secession — hoarded by a public that didn't yet trust paper promises from a new Confederate state government. The State authorized multiple denominations to fill the gap, with Spelman handling production locally in Raleigh rather than relying on Southern bank note firms like Keatinge & Ball or Leggett, Keatinge & Ball, which were still establishing themselves.
Local printing meant inconsistent ink distribution and paper quality. Many surviving examples show uneven impressions, and the small format compounded the problem — thin paper prone to splitting along fold lines after even modest handling.