When it comes to money, there are a number of counterfeit and fake versions out there. Confederate paper money was not exempt from this fact, no matter how long ago it was. In fact, between the years of 1836 and 1896, Confederate notes were highly susceptible to fraudulent and altered notes. That time period in specific was branded as the Golden Age of Counterfeiting in the United States of America.
Before the start of the Civil War, bankers and merchants had a record of known counterfeit types or at least had bank note reporter magazines delivered to them. Case in point, counterfeiting during this time period was extreme and it was difficult to keep track of the number of notes that were being altered across a plethora of different banks near and far.
Civil War Currency - Confederate Note Counterfeits
Once the Civil War was underway in the early to mid-1860s, the United States government began issuing its own paper money. The Confederacy followed suit and soon the counterfeiters were looking at both types of notes to go after.
When it came to certain engraving companies, specific characteristics of those works could generally be pinpointed due to their high quality. For example, works from the National Bank Note Co., Southern Bank Note Co,. Keatinge & Ball, and Archer and Daly (Halpin) are of the utmost of quality when it comes to the engraving and printing. Those notes that bore the imprints of these engraving firms in specific and were unpolished or clumsy were most likely deemed counterfeits.
In comparison, engraving companies such as Hoyer & Ludwig, J. Manouvrier, J.T. Paterson and B. Duncan were not considered to be of high quality. Notes that may have appeared to be unpolished or clumsy with their imprints may have not been detected as quickly. In fact, those notes may have been genuine if comparing quality. Because counterfeiters had a difficult time getting the proper materials in order to be successful, wrong types of paper, printed signatures, and wrong shades of color were key to pointing out the differences. Counterfeits that were spotted as such by Confederate leaders were marked counterfeit and today, those markings add interest and value to the notes.
Havana Counterfeit
One of the most well-known examples of a Confederate counterfeit note is something that appeared near the end of the war. Called the “Havana counterfeit”, it was thought to have been produced in Cuba and somehow smuggled into the States and landed within the Confederacy. This altered note “knocks off” the $100 “Women of the South” Confederate note that features Lucy H. Pickens with two soldiers at the lower left. With two different Series types and one without a Series designation, there are a total of 12 plate letter varieties (A, B, C, D of each) and an estimated 100 or more minor varieties of this particular note due to differences in engraving and size of the notes.
The Havana counterfeit itself only appears in D plate letter and is said to be approximately a quarter of an inch smaller in both width and length. Notes in a new condition most generally can be detected from genuine notes as the size, engraving, and color on the back are key points to check for the counterfeit. There are also a number of other minor details that distinguish the Havana counterfeit. None of these counterfeit details kept collectors away though as individuals still like to make it a part of their collection.
Source: Confederate States Paper Money: Civil War Currency From the South (12th Edition) by George S. Cuhaj & William Brandimore