Money is necessary to wage a war. Both the Union and the Confederacy thought the war would be a minor conflict that would end in months; both planned their budgets for that duration. As the war dragged on, each side felt pressure to keep currency circulating and governments out of the red. Multiple problems arose concerning the production of money. Confederates were cut off from their printing sources in the North. Citizens hoarding metallic coins and runaway inflation were risks to both sides. This section displays objects that show how the Union and the Confederacy dealt with money problems, while also exploring what was considered money then and who produced it.
