PAPER DREAMS: AN AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE

 

In the last few weeks, you may have seen the announcement and press release for the publication of my new book Paper Dreams in the Golden State: A History of California Through Its Paper Money, published by Stack's Bowers Galleries. This volume, my first full length book, dives into the history of California using notes from the collection of Eric Agnew (which will continue to be sold in 2025 by Stack's Bowers Galleries), along with hundreds of other illustrations, ranging from contemporary postcards, to newspaper articles and even mugshots. This blog post allows me to discuss the book a little bit more and explain why it is not just for collectors of paper money, but also for anyone who is interested in the history of California.

Even though I am a relatively recent transplant to California (having moved to Sacramento in early 2011 from Europe) I have long had an interest in California history. From the Native Americans who first called this land home to the earliest European explorers and all the way to modern times, California's history is full of stories. In this book, I have tried to capture some of those stories and link them to paper money. Paper money was virtually non-existent in the state for the first few decades after the gold rush, thanks to the distrust of the medium many of its early citizens had along with the abundant supply of gold in the state. After the federal government introduced national gold bank notes (which were, uniquely, redeemable for gold) the people of California started to accept paper money in everyday commerce. Over the next six decades over 400 national banks were formed, in communities that range from big cities to small towns. Except for one chapter those national banks are the basis for this book.

As I write in the introduction, this is not a book meant to replace any of the standard references that numismatists are familiar with. Instead, one could even argue that while paper money collectors will certainly enjoy reading the book, the true audience is everyday people interested in local history. These include people who may have grown up in towns like Hardwick, Arcata or Calexico, unaware of there ever having been a national bank in their hometown. Over the past few years I have learned that many people aren't aware of the national banking system, and when explained, they are stunned to discover that in many cases their hometown once issued "its own money." This book aims to capture some of the stories of those towns, going back to when the bank was usually located in the grandest building in town.

The stories in this book are varied, and include topics such as crime, bank robberies and disasters, but also more mundane topics like the introduction of citrus to California and the importance of railroads to the state's development. Using the notes to link it all together, those ties include the man instrumental in the building of the transcontinental railroad, another who was the subject of one of the few duels ever held in California, and one of the first female bank presidents in the country. It goes without saying that there is something for everyone in this book. I hope that this book serves as a template for people interested in the history of other states to create something similar, as paper money is a great way to connect to the past.

Paper Dreams: A History of California Through Its Paper Money is now available on Amazon and eBay, as well as at select upcoming coin shows.

 

To read the complete article, see:
Paper Dreams: An Author's Perspective (https://stacksbowers.com/paper-dreams-an-authors-perspective/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NEW BOOK: PAPER DREAMS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n45a03.html)

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