$50 Confederate States Coupon Bond – Criswell 20, Ball 87
$ 76.56
Description
$50 Confederate States Coupon Bond – Criswell 20, Ball 87 Offered for your consideration is a $50 bond issued by the Confederate States of America under the Act of August 19, 1861. It was listed by the late Grover Criswell as Cr. 20 and by the late Dr. Douglas Ball as B. 87. The central vignette features a well-executed portrait of Thomas Bragg, a short term Confederate Attorney General and former governor of North Carolina, presented in a floral frame. Immediately above the portrait, printed in an arc, is “CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA / LOAN” , while below is “ AUTHORIZED BY THE ACT OF CONGRESS, C. S. A. OF AUGUST 19, 1861 ”. A lengthy financial obligation, executed in a lovely italic script follows. This states (in part), that “ On the first day of January 1875 The Confederate States of America will pay to the Bearer of this Bond … the sum of FIFTY DOLLARS with Interest thereon … at the rate of Eight per Cent. per annum …”. It further indicates that “… This debt is authorized by an Act of Congress … entitled “An Act to authorize the issue of Treasury Notes, and provide a War Tax for their redemption … ” . It was signed and sealed “… at RICHMOND, this 10 day of Mar 186 3 …” by “C. T. Jones” in his capacity as “ Actg Register of the Treasury” . A rectangular, geometric border encloses the above elements, neatly separating them from the 20 remaining interest coupons. Each coupon is valued at “TWO DOLLARS” and is hand-signed by “ E S Read ” (Miss Emma S. Read), a female clerk in the Confederate Treasury. As with most bonds of this era, the reverse of this bond is blank. According to Confederate financial records, a total of 3,614 bonds of this type were originally issued. Undoubtedly, many of this original issuance would have been lost or destroyed in the intervening 150+ years, making the remaining pieces rare and desirable. This piece would make a great addition to any Confederate or Civil War currency collection. Thomas Bragg was born in Warrenton, North Carolina on November 9 or 10, 1810. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1833. He was elected to the state legislature in 1842 and 1844, after which he served as governor of North Carolina from 1855 to 1859 and a United States senator from 1859 until 1861. He served as the Confederate attorney general from November 21, 1861 until his resignation on March 18, 1862. He returned to North Carolina and was prominent in that state’s war activities. Following the war, Bragg resumed the practice of law, continuing in that profession until his death on January 21, 1872. C. T. (Charles T.) Jones had been the chief clerk of the register’s office in Washington, D.C. under Secretary Howell Cobb. Arriving in Montgomery, Alabama with a pile of forms, he assumed the same office within the new Confederate government, serving from February, 1861, through April, 1865. He was authorized to sign bonds as “Acting Register” when the register was absent, though it appears he signed several pieces of correspondence as “Register” or “Register of the Treasury”. His initials may be found at the left on many bonds as proof that they have been recorded on the treasury registers. The presently offered specimen exhibits signs of expected period use, followed by years of less than ideal storage. In common with virtually all documents of this type, numerous storage folds, both vertical and horizontal (there are even a few on the diagonal), are present (these occurred when the documents were placed in safes or the cubbyholes of desks), some of which have affected the integrity of the paper. Light toning is noted across the entire surface, somewhat darker at the edges and along the storage folds. Several stains can be found scattered throughout the design, slightly more visible on the unaccomplished back. Minor ink corrosion can be seen at many of the manuscript additions, though no paper has been lost at this time. The edges are slightly irregular, especially along the bottom, where previously redeemed interest coupons have been removed. Numerous small holes are scattered throughout the piece, not an uncommon occurrence on documents of this type. This historic document measures approximately 13¾ x 14⅜ inches including the selvage. This piece would frame beautifully for display in a home or office, especially with a piece of period currency. A $5.95 charge will be added to the winning bid for postage and insurance. A $5.00 charge will be added to any item picked up in person at our physical location. If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before bidding. Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2 nd Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows. American Coins and Collectibles Shreveport, LA
