The Confederate States of America issued its own currency before and during the Civil War. These big $5 and $10 horseblanket notes measure a sizable 7 1/4" x 3" and are hand signed and numbered. The notes were not backed by any hard assets, they were a promise of payment after the war based on Southern victory. Having lost all monetary value only a fraction were saved for posterity. These circulated specimens were issued almost 160 years ago.