CONFEDERATE

The 1864 $500 Confederate note is arguably the most popular Confederate currency issue. The note features the vignette of war hero General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, one of the most beloved Southern commanders of the Civil War. Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men during a battle and died in 1863. This note was quickly issued to honor him. The T-64 $500 Confederate note is the only note issued by the Confederacy to depict a CSA military leader.

The depiction of George Washington is seen on the left on horseback.  The further depiction of the American Flag lends to this note being nicknamed Stars and Bars.  Interestingly, it is the only note issued by the South to show the flag !

As with most all Confederate notes, the $500’s were painstakingly hand signed and numbered.  The notes were printed in sheets and cut apart by hand.  It is not uncommon for notes to have uneven margins.  Well framed notes are the exception. 

Used as currency during the war, the note promises the bearer the full $500 amount will be paid on demand “two years after the ratification of the Treaty of Peace between the Confederate States and the United States.”  These legal notes were not backed by assets such as gold or silver and became increasingly worthless as inflation soared.  When the war ended and the Confederate government no longer existed, the currency lost all of its value. – Today, the $500 denomination is quite scarce.  Higher grade examples are rare with top end examples garnishing thousands of dollars.