Civil War Era Currency Auction

The South Carolina Department of Archives and History is auctioning, in sealed bid format, 317 lots of obsolete currency during the month of May. The Archives had 40 boxes worth of currency (now down to about 36 boxes) dating from the 1820's through the 1860's, all of which was issued by The Bank of the State of South Carlina; the bundles were sealed in 1880 when people redeemed the notes for state bonds, and we have recently started opening the bundles and selling many of the notes at public auction. This auction includes fractionals and whole-dollar notes of every denomination, as well as plate sets, similar note sets, and even uncut sheets, on the back of which are whole railroad bond notes. One $1 note is signed by Confederate General and SC Governor Wade Hampton, and some notes were previously unknown to the numismatic community. All of the proceeds will go to preservation efforts (storage and equipment, non-acidic document folders, etc.); it's a great gift for the agency to have during a budget crisis.

You can check out all the auction details on our website http://www.palmettohistory.org/currencyauction/index.html which includes a PDF file of the entire catalog with color images of every lot being sold. Anyone planning to be in the Columbia area on May 3 and/or May 26 should stop by the SCDAH to actually see the notes live (more details in the catalog), but most bidders will likely use the catalog as their only guide.


Happy Bidding!!!


Written by Craig Glass, SCDAH volunteer and currency auction project team member

Fort Sumter Remembered by Caleb Miller

On April 12th, the battle of Fort Sumter started. This 34-hour battle was the first battle of the Civil War. This fort was a valuable asset, due to its location in the Charleston Harbor. A group of Union soldiers, led by Major Robert Anderson, were stationed at the fort. Confederate forces fired on the fort from all around the harbor, with Union troops returning the fire as best as they could. Surprisingly, there were no fatalities during this huge bombardment. After the long fight, Anderson finally surrendered the fort. The North was enraged at the attack and the country went into all out war. Thus, the attack was not only the first battle but also a catalyst for creating a war. There had been tensions mounting before this but the Fort Sumter attack sent everyone into battle mode. Fort Sumter serves as a monument to the valor of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and remains a major tourist attraction today.

Editor's Note: April 12, 2011 is the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and the nation is engaged in commemoration events until 2015. I encourage you all to visit exhibits, tours, and lectures to soak up history! Come visit the Archives and see documents leading up to the war including the Ordinance of Secession and research South Carolina's role in the war.