00 Confederate States Coupon Bond – Criswell 125, Ball 201

Description

$
1000 Confederate States Coupon Bond – Criswell 125, Ball 201
Offered for your consideration is a 00 coupon bond issued by the Confederate States of America under the Act of February 20, 1863. It was catalogued by the late Grover Criswell as Cr. 125 and by the late Dr. Douglass Ball as B. 201. This bond doesn’t have a conventional central vignette, but features two design elements side by side. To the viewer’s left is a wonderfully rendered portrait of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, while to the viewer’s right is a scene depicting the city of Richmond from the west. A small vignette depicting a sidewheel steamer can be seen between the serial numbers to the viewer’s left of the Davis portrait. Above and below these vignettes, executed in a wavy pattern, is
“THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA LOAN”
, while below is a financial obligation, presented in a lovely italic script. According to this obligation “
On the 1
st
day of July, 1868, the Confederate States of America will pay to the Bearer of this BOND … the sum of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS with interest thereon … at the rate of Eight per Cent per annum …
”. It further states that
“… This Contract is authorized by an Act of Congress approved February 20, 1863 Entitled “An Act to authorize the issue of BONDS for funding Treasury notes …”
. The bond was issued
“… at RICHMOND …”
and is dated (in print) the
“… 2
nd
day of March 1863 …”.
It was signed at the conclusion by
“
C A Rose for
Register of the Treasury”
(because of the number of bonds being issued, assistants were hired to help Robert Tyler sign the bonds). An additional vignette, this one depicting a reclining figure of Liberty appears to the left of the Rose signature. A decorative rectangle featuring the denomination can be seen at the left, with the denomination repeated in numerical format at the center (over the financial obligation). A geometric border encloses the above elements, additionally separating them from the 7 remaining interest coupons. Each coupon is valued at
“FORTY DOLLARS”
and is hand-signed by a clerk in the Confederate Treasury. As with most bonds of this era, the reverse of this bond is blank. There is, however, a blue post-war Bond Holders Committee stamp on the back indicating that it was in Europe at the close of the war (Bond Holders Committees were formed to receive individual deposits of bonds to petition the Federal government for restitution – they didn’t work). According to Confederate financial records, a total of 36,550 bonds of this type were originally issued, making this one of the most common bonds on today’s market. While common, the design and historical importance make this bond very popular with collectors and therefore highly desirable. A great opportunity to add one of these pieces to your collection.
Charles A. Rose
served as one of two assistant registers, the other being E. Apperson. Little is known of him except that he was 53 years old when he was appointed in 1863 and was a Richmond notary public. He had worked for the treasury department earlier, with his initials (CAR) appearing on numerous bonds. Following his appointment, Rose remained as an assistant register until the close of the war.
Light toning is present across the entire surface of this historic piece, imparting an off-white to beige hue. This toning appears darker at the edges, especially at the left and top. Some scattered foxing spots are mentioned for accuracy, as these are very light and confined primarily to the interest coupons. In common with virtually all documents of this type, numerous storage folds, both vertical and horizontal, are present (these occurred when the documents were placed in safes or the cubbyholes of desks). Two small pinholes are present in the upper selvage, barely visible unless the bond is held to the light (these could be covered if the piece was matted and framed). As mentioned in the description, a blue stamp is present on the reverse, as are three pencil notations. The back also exhibits slightly more toning, as well as scattered light soiling. This historic document measures approximately 13¾ x 14⅞ inches including the selvage. This piece would frame beautifully with a portrait of Jefferson Davis and a wartime view of Richmond (there is a very famous one depicting the city after its fall), thereby becoming the focal point of a den or office.
A .95 charge will be added to the winning bid for postage and insurance.
If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing.
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