Examples of Southern State Issued Banknotes of the Confederacy Florida

Examples of Southern State Issued Banknotes of the Confederacy
FLORIDA

On January 10, 1861, Florida became the 3rd State to secede from the Union. Florida was an important source of salt and food for the Confederacy. Strategically important coastal cities, such as Jacksonville and Saint Augustine, switched hands between the Union and Confederacy but the interior of the state remained under Confederate control. On April 1, 1865, as the Confederacy was collapsing, Florida Governor John Milton committed suicide at his home near Marianna. In his last message to the legislature, he had said, "Death would be preferable to reunion." When Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia in 1865, Tallahassee was the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi still held by Confederate forces. During the Civil War the State of Florida authorized 5 different issues of currency, commencing with the 1st Issue in Sept. and Oct. 1861, 2nd Issue of Jan. 1, 1862, the 3rd Issue of March 1, 1863, the 4th Issue of Jan. 1 and March 1, 1864, and ending with an "eleventh hour" 5th issue that was dated Jan. 1, 1865. These extremely rare 5th issue notes were only printed in denominations of $50, $100 and $500 and although they are dated Jan. 1, 1865, apparently the notes were not released until after April 1, because they bear the signature of Governor Abraham Allison who became Governor following Milton's suicide on April 1, 1865. All State of Florida notes are uni-face or plain back notes.

... State of Florida 1861 $50 Note featuring the allegorical figure of Ceres. All 1861 and 1862 issued Florida notes were printed by Hoyer & Ludwig of Richmond, Virginia.

... State of Florida 1861 $100 Note featuring the allegorical figure of Ceres. All 1861 and 1862 issued Florida notes were printed by Hoyer & Ludwig of Richmond, Virginia.