The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 12, March 21, 2005, Article 3

CONFEDERATE CURRENCY GROUP FORMING?

Fred Reed writes: "After publishing our 2nd very successful
Confederate/Civil War special topical issue in PAPER MONEY,
the Society of Paper Money Collectors award-winning magazine,
and fielding numerous inquiries and comments resulting from my
Confederate States of America column “Shades of the Blue and
the Grey” in BANK NOTE REPORTER, it#39;s become
apparent that interest in CSA material is on the upsurge.

Conversations recently have turned to the possibilities of
a study group or loose organization developing among our
CSA fraternity along the lines of a special interest group (SIG),
quasi-club, e-mail or internet chatter group, e-newsletter, or
similar body along the lines of the Fractional Currency
Collector#39;s Board, Large Cent, or Colonial specialist
groups.

Several outstanding specialized CSA books have appeared
in the last couple years, suggesting how diverse our
“commonality of interest” is. With (at least) two more new
CSA books on the horizon, now seems be the right time to
start up such a group.

These new books are by J. Wayne Hilton, whose book
“Collecting Confederate Currency: A Hobby or An
Investment?” incorporates the results of thousands of
auctions from 1865 – 2005” was revealed in the April
issue of BNR. The other by Pierre Fricke, entitled
“Collecting Confederate Paper Money,” promises a
thorough reworking of the Bradbeer-Criswell Type-
Variety system and was described by its author in the
recent special issue of SPMC#39;s PAPER MONEY.
The Fricke book will be published by R.M. Smythe.
Each will further energize this genre.

The proposed CSA Currency SIG need not be formal
to be effective. And such a group needn#39;t necessarily
plunder already existing paper money groups either.
What do readers of The E-Sylum think? Your ideas
and input are of value. Information about this proposed
group or SPMC is available from me via e-mail at
freed3 at airmail.net or by snail mail at P.O. Box
118162, Carrollton, TX 75011-8162. If you desire
a reply please enclose a self-addressed stamped
envelope."

[I, for one, am all for the idea. In fact, I'm surprised that
such a group hasn't been formed already. When I read
Fred's suggestion in PAPER MONEY I encouraged him
to submit the idea to E-Sylum readers. -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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