Civil War 1861 $20 Confederate States of America Bond Coupon – $500 Bond 8% War Loan of Aug. 19, 1861 – M. H. Gary Signature – Choice About Uncirculated (AU 55–58)

Technical Breakdown & Attribution

• Type: Confederate States of America Loan Interest Bond Coupon

• Denomination: $20.00 / TWENTY DOLLARS (Major denomination for this loan issue)

• Interest Terms: Payable for six months' interest at 8% Per Annum on a $500 Confederate Bond ($20 semi-annually = $40 per year / 8%)

• Due Date: January 1, 1872 ("Due January 1. 1872.")

• Authorizing Act: Act of August 19, 1861 ("C.S. LOAN OF AUG.T 19. 1861.")

• Bond Number Attribution: Hand-inscribed in dark ink: Bond No. 1137 for $500

  • Inventory Tail (Bond Number): 1137

• Issuing Authority: The Confederate States of America

• Signature: Penned by hand in original dark iron-gall ink: M. H. Gary on the line marked For the Register of the Treasury

• Typography & Style: Typeset calligraphic issue; arched ribbon reading "THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA / Will pay to Bearer" with bold slab-serif "TWENTY DOLLARS".

• Reverse Face: Blank unprinted back showing clear ink bleed-through from the manuscript bond numbering and clerk signature.

Historical Significance & Loan Architecture

1. The $500 Bond Class (Act of Aug. 19, 1861): Sourced from an early-war 8% $500 bond sheet authorized right after the Battle of First Manassas (Bull Run). This loan financed initial Confederate army mobilization and naval contracts in Europe.

2. Denomination Expansion ($4 vs. $20): Your previous two 1861 coupons were $4 coupons servicing small $100 bonds; this $20 coupon represents the significantly higher $500 bond level, giving you both primary bond denominations from this landmark 1861 loan.

3. Treasury Clerk M. H. Gary: Matches the exact hand and ink signature seen on your 1861 $4 coupon (Bond #722), demonstrating the work of clerk M. H. Gary across multiple bond denominations inside the Confederate Treasury department in Richmond.

4. Post-War Maturity (1872): Due seven years after the war ended, this coupon was never redeemed or clipped for payment, surviving intact and uncancelled.

Condition & Visual Grade Assessment

• Assigned Technical Grade: Choice About Uncirculated (AU 55 – AU 58)

• Preservation Highlights & Attributes:

  • Margins & Trimming: Neatly cut from the original bond sheet with full outer black framing borderlines intact on all four sides.

  • Paper Fabric & Body: Crisp, firm off-white original rag paper retaining excellent structural stiffness and snap.

  • Inks & Clarity: Deep black typographic impression across the header ribbon and denomination.

  • Manuscript Details: The hand-inscribed bond number 1137 and signature M. H. Gary remain bold, sharp, and perfectly legible.

  • Purity: Completely free of pinholes, tape, tears, creases, or spindle cuts.