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- 5 Cents, Postage Currency, United States, 1862 - 1863
5 Cents, Postage Currency, United States, 1862 - 1863
Object Details
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) 5 cent note
- United States, 1862 - 1863
- Obverse Image: Postage stamp with bust of Thomas Jefferson.
- Obverse Text: POSTAGE CURRENCY / FURNISHED ONLY BY THE ASSISTANT TREASURERS AND DESIGNATED DEPOSITARIES OF THE U.S. / 5 / U.S. POSTAGE / FIVE CENTS / RECEIVABLE FOR POSTAGE STAMPS AT ANY POST OFFICE / NATIONAL BANK NOTE CO. N.Y.
- Reverse Image: 5 within decorative oval.
- Reverse Text: EXCHANGEABLE FOR UNITED STATES NOTES BY ANY ASSISTANT TREASURER OR DESIGNATED U.S. DEPOSITARY, IN SUMS NOT LESS THAN FIVE DOLLARS. RECEIVABLE IN PAYMENT OF ALL DUES TO THE U. STATES LESS THAN FIVE DOLLARS. ACT APPROVED JULY 17, 1862. / 5
- General Information: First issue.
- Description
- Francis E. Spinner became the Treasurer of the United States in March of 1861. He conceived the idea of “emergency” money by using groups of stamps pasted onto treasury paper. On July 17, 1862 Congress authorized the use of postage stamps as payment. This five-cent postage stamp currency looks like a regular stamp, but it had no adhesive backing and could not be used on mail.
- Credit Line
- The Chase Manhattan Bank
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- date made
- 1862 - 1863
- ID Number
- 1979.1263.0407
- accession number
- 1979.1263
- collector/donor number
- CM0407
- catalog number
- 79.112.CM0407
- Object Name
- note
- Physical Description
- paper (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 4.7 cm x 6.55 cm x .01 cm; 1 27/32 in x 2 19/32 in x in
- place made
- United States
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
- Civil War
- Coins, Currency and Medals
- Record ID
- nmah_1590356
- Usage
- CC0
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