Title: Greenback (1860s money) - Wikipedia
Headings: Greenback (1860s money)
Greenback (1860s money)
Contents
History
Before Civil War
Civil War
Demand Notes
United States Notes
Complete set of 1862–63 greenbacks
See also
Notes
References
Sources
Further reading

Content: Contents
1 History
1.1 Before Civil War
1.2 Civil War
1.3 Demand Notes
1.4 United States Notes
2 Complete set of 1862–63 greenbacks
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References
6 Sources
6.1 Further reading
History
Before Civil War
Before the Civil War, the only money issued by the United States was gold and silver coins and only such coins ("specie") were legal tender and so payment in that form had to be accepted. Paper currency in the form of banknotes was issued by privately-owned banks, the notes being redeemable for species at the bank's office and not legal tender. Such notes had value only if the bank could be counted on to redeem them. If a bank failed, its notes became worthless. National governments had issued paper money and made it legal tender, but that was usually with at least the pretense that the notes would be redeemable for species at some time. Continental dollars issued by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution had no such backing. They soon became almost worthless largely due to massive British counterfeiting of them as an act of war. In the early 19th century, the U.S. issued interest-bearing Treasury Notes in various denominations. They were not legal tender but could be used to pay customs duties. Civil War
When President Abraham Lincoln assumed office, he understood the importance of money for the war effort.