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An old-style currency note from the City of New Orleans, valued at one dollar. It features images of two ships, elaborate designs, and portraits of women. The note is dated January 1, 1863, with decorative borders and numerals 49 120.

US Mint in New Orleans

Money, Money, Money!
Money and Why There Was Never Enough
Banking in the Antebellum South
Banking and the Civil War
Greenback Revolution

The United States Mint in New Orleans

The US Mint building, located at 400 Esplanade Avenue, was designed by architect William Strickland, who had apprenticed with Benjamin Latrobe and designed US Mint buildings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Dahlonega, Georgia. Built upon the original site of Fort St. Charles at the foot of what became Esplanade Avenue, the New Orleans Mint began operations on March 8, 1838. In the twenty-three years prior to the Civil War, the mint produced a variety of gold and silver coins, including the examples displayed in this section, stamped with local mint mark “O.”

When Louisiana seceded from the Union in January 1861, the state seized the mint and its remaining bullion, continuing production of US coins until the Confederate States of America (CSA) took control of operations in April of the same year. Only four proof coins of Confederate currency from New Orleans survive. CSA minting activities ceased before they ever truly started, however. Within a month of the takeover, the secretary of the Confederate Treasury, Christopher Memminger, shuttered the facility due to the difficulty of obtaining bullion. Minting operations resumed in 1879 but were halted permanently in 1909, when the US Treasury Department closed the New Orleans branch.

A 1858 silver coin featuring a seated figure holding a staff, surrounded by stars along the edge.
United States of America Seated Liberty half dollar, 1858, stamped silver by the United States Mint (New Orleans). HNOC, gift of Raymond Hoffman, 1992.85.27
A vintage banknote depicting the Municipality No. One of New Orleans, with a central building illustration, the number 50 in each corner, an allegorical figure on the left, and decorative designs throughout the note.
City of New Orleans, First Municipality, fifty-dollar note, October 30, 1837, engraving by John V. Childs (New Orleans). HNOC, gift of Boyd Cruise, 1951.29
A vintage $200 banknote from the City of New Orleans, featuring intricate engravings. The left side shows an allegorical female figure, the center depicts a cityscape, and the right side includes a soldier in uniform. Text and numerical values are prominently displayed.
City of New Orleans, First Municipality, two-hundred­­­­-dollar note, October 30, 1837, engraving by John V. Childs (New Orleans). HNOC, gift of Boyd Cruise, 1947.28
An antique $300 banknote from the city of New Orleans features an eagle, a ship, and an allegorical figure. The text includes Municipality No. One and Three Hundred Dollars. The design is ornate, with detailed engravings and signatures.
City of New Orleans, First Municipality, three-hundred­­­­-dollar note, October 30, 1837, engraving by John V. Childs (New Orleans). HNOC, 1952.27.9
A vintage 50-cent banknote from New Orleans, dated December 1839, decorated with an illustration of a horse at the center and intricate designs around the edges. The text includes the value, date, and issuing municipality.
City of New Orleans, Second Municipality, fifty-cent note, December 1, 1839, engraving by Draper, Toppan, Longacre, and Company (Philadelphia or New York). HNOC, 1952.27.13
An old currency note from 1875, labeled Municipality No. Two. It features the value One Hundred in ornate script, an eagle illustration, and signatures. The note is styled with intricate designs and formal typography.
City of New Orleans, Second Municipality, one-hundred-dollar note, July 28, 1843, engraving by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson (New Orleans). HNOC, 1952.27.25
Chapter 8: Special Coinage