State Notes 1861-1865 Civil War Currency

After seceding from the Union on January 11, 1861, Florida joined the Confederacy on Jan. 28, 1861.  An act providing for the issuance of Treasury Notes was passed by the General Assembly on Feb. 14, 1861.  Thus began the first printing (FIRST ISSUE) of State of Florida notes, with dates of September to December 1861.  Of special mention are the rare September notes signed by Governor Madison Perry who left office Oct. 1, 1861.  All other notes of this issue were signed by Governor John Milton.

Florida’s SECOND ISSUE of notes were printed as payment for Florida’s assessed share of the war tax for the Confederacy.  They are all engraved with the January 1, 1862 date and are signed by Walter Gwynn as Comptroller and C.H. Austin as Treasurer.

Florida’s THIRD ISSUE ushered in a beautiful new design which also included, for the first time, fractional notes of 10, 25, and 50 cent denominations.  These fractionals bear the engraved date of Feb. 2, 1863, while the $1.00 through $10 denominations are dated, March 1, 1863.  Both Third and Fourth issued notes were signed by C.H. Austin, Treasurer and John Milton, Governor.

Florida’s FOURTH ISSUE notes were in reality a reissue of the Third Issue with a different engraved date of March 1, 1864.

Florida’s FIFTH ISSUE notes were in fact it’s last issue during the Civil War and by far the rarest.  Notes carry an engraved date of Jan. 1st., 1865, and were issued in high denominations  of $50, $100, and $500.  They were all printed on backs of 1864 Florida state notes and were signed by Governor Abraham K. Allison, whose term began after the suicide of Governor John Milton on April 1st.  C.H. Austin signed as Treasurer.

When Union soldiers arrived in Tallahassee on May 10, 1865, all Confederate and Florida currency became worthless.  Governor Allison’s term ended on May 22, 1865, when he was incarcerated by Union troops.

 

 


First Issue Sept. 1861, Oct 9, 1861, Oct 10, 1861, and Dec. 6, 1861

Essays

Peter Hawes of New Orleans was engaged to design the new currency and produced two essays that conformed to the February 14 law.

Oct 9, 1861

Dated Oct 9, 1861

006 (2)

Dated Oct 10, 1861
Actual Governor John Milton Signature

006 (3)

Dated Dec 6, 1861

Oct 9, 1861

Dated Oct 9, 1861

006 (4)

Dated Oct 10, 1861
Actual Governor John Milton Signature

007 (2)

Dated Dec 6, 1861

Dated Oct 9, 1861

Dated Oct 9, 1861

 

007 (3)

Dated Oct 10, 1861
Actual Governor John Milton Signature

007 (4)

Dated Dec 6, 1861

 

John Milton Florida.jpg

John Milton, 5th Governor of Florida in office Oct. 7, 1861 to April 1, 1865.  Succeeded by Abraham K. Allison


First Issue Oct. 10, 1861

008 (2)

008 (3)

008 (4)

009 (2)

009 (3)

Actual Governor John Milton Signature

009 (4)

Actual Governor John Milton Signature

010 (2)

010 (3)

010 (4)

 


First Issue Denomination Spelled out

011 (2)

Actual Governor John Milton Signature Oct. 10, 1861

011 (3)

Actual Governor Madison Perry Signature Sept.16,1861

011 (4)

Actual Governor Madison Perry Signature Sept.16, 1861

Florida Governor Madison S. Perry.jpg

Governor Madison S. Perry, 4th Governor of Florida in office Oct. 5, 1857 to Oct. 7, 1861. Born 1814 died 1865.

012 (2)

012 (3)

Actual Governor John Milton Signature Oct. 1861

012 (4)

 


Second Issue Jan. 1, 1862

013 (2) 013 (3) 013 (4) 014 (2) 014 (3) 014 (4) 015 (2) 015 (3)

All Notes Signed by Comptroller Walter Gwynn and Treasurer C.H. Austin

 


Third Issue Fractional Denominations

016 (2) 016 (3) 017 (2) 017 (4) 018 019 020 (2) 020 (3) 021 (2) 022

 


Third Issue March 1, 1863

023 (2)

023 (3)

023 (4)

024 (2)

024 (3)

Rare Proof Note

024 (4)

025 (2)

Rare Proof Note

025 (3) 025 (4) 026 (2) 026 (3)

 


Fourth Issue January 1, 1864

027 (2)

027 (3)

Watermarked “W.T. & Co.”

027 (4)

028 (2)

Watermarked “W.T. & Co.”

028 (3)

Watermarked “W.T. & Co.”

 


Fourth Issue March 1, 1864

029 (2)

029 (3)

Watermarked “W.T. & Co.”

030 (2)

030 (3)

Watermarked “W.T. & Co.”

 


Fifth Issue January 1, 1865

031 (2) 031 (3) 031 (4)

All notes signed by C.H. Austin, treasurer and A.K. Allison, 6th governor of Florida

.Florida Governor Abraham K. Allison.jpg

Governor Abraham K. Allison, in office April 1, 1865 to May 19, 1865.  Born Dec. 10, 1810 died July 8, 1893 in Quincy, Florida.


Reconstruction Period 1865-1870

032 (2)

033 (2) Signed by Governor Harrison Reed and R.H. Gamble, Comptroller

 

March 1, 1870 State Of Florida  One Dollar Note Redeemed Stamped: May 10, 1899, Treasury Of Florida and Signed:

Received and cancelled May 10, 1899. J.B. Whitfield, State Treasurer. Who later became Florida Supreme Court Justice.  To date, this is the only note known that carries the “Redeemed Stamp” and cancellation.

 

032 (3)

033 (3) Signed by Governor Harrison Reed and Clayton A. Cowgill, Comptroller

 

Governor Harrison Reed of Florida.jpg

Governor Harrison Reed, 9th Governor of Florida, in office July 4th,1868 to Jan. 7, 1873.  Born August 26, 1813 died May 25, 1899 in Jacksonville, Florida.  For an excellent treatise on the 1870 Reconstruction period notes of Florida see Ron Benice’s book, Florida Paper Money pages 36-40.


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