Title: An Illustrated History of American Money Design
Headings: An Illustrated History of American Money Design
An Illustrated History of American Money Design
Out of Many, One
The back of a 1770 Maryland dollar that could be exchanged in London for four shillings and six pence worth of gold
A $50 Continental note from 1779
The Wildcat Era
An example of wildcat currency from the early 19th century
The Birth of the Greenback
While some Confederate notes featured leaders like Jefferson Davis, this $10 from 1862 depicts a slave picking cotton.
Abraham Lincoln was originally featured on this $10 United States banknote from 1862.
The Silver Certificates
To this day, the Silver certificate from 1886 is the only American banknote to feature a real woman on the front.
The $1 Silver Certificate from the 1896 Series, also known as the Education Series
The back of the $1 Silver Certificate from the 1896 Series
The $5 Silver Certificate from the 1896 Series
Running Antelope is featured on the $5 Silver Certificate from 1899.
The Gold Certificates (With a Little Technicolor, Too)
George Washington on the stunning $20 Gold Certificate from 1905
The back of a $1,000 Gold Certificate from 1907. Alexander Hamilton was on the front.
Little Bitty and Slightly Less Pretty
This $100 Federal Reserve Note from 1914 depicts an unusual profile of Ben Franklin
This $5 Federal Reserve Note from 1914 shows the struggles of early settlers
Salmon Chase appears on the $10,000 Federal Reserve Note from 1934
Increasingly Awful Redesigns
The familiar new $100 bill that first appeared in 1996
Oh say can you see that ugly flag graphic?
DISCUSSION
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Content: Advertisement
While some Confederate notes featured leaders like Jefferson Davis, this $10 from 1862 depicts a slave picking cotton. Short-lived as they were, the Confederate dollars bore some design elements that would also appear on United States currency in the years to come. The ornate but simple border, engraving style, and two-color printing should look familiar. Advertisement
As the Confederate States started circulating its own dollars, the Union rushed to find a financial solution of its own. Congress passed a law to print $50 million worth of Demand Notes in the summer of 1861. These banknotes were considered legal tender and were backed by bonds. By 1863, however, they were almost all out of circulation, since the government used them to pay customs duties. Advertisement
Abraham Lincoln was originally featured on this $10 United States banknote from 1862. Taking the suggestion of an Illinois businessman, President Lincoln convinced Congress to approve a plan for issuing unbacked paper currency in 1862. The Legal Tender Act authorized $150 million worth of full legal tender Treasury notes.