Fractional currency

Fifty-cent fractional currency depicting Francis E. Spinner, with autograph signature
Fifty-cent fractional currency depicting Francis E. Spinner, with autograph signature.

Fractional currency, also referred to as shinplasters, was introduced by the United States federal government following the outbreak of the Civil War. These low-denomination banknotes of the United States dollar were in use between August 21, 1862, and February 15, 1876, and issued in denominations of 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 cents across five issuing periods.[1][2][3] The complete type set below is part of the National Numismatic Collection, housed at the National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution.[nb 1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Friedberg174 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cuhaj, p. 401.
  3. ^ Kravitz


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