Issuing authority
United States
Federal issuer of coinage and, through several authorities, many distinct classes of paper money.
- Kind
- state
- Region
- North America, North America
- Recorded period
- 1776 – present
Objects are filed under the historical authority that actually issued or made them. A recorded period comes from the issuer's own reference description and is left blank where no source states it.
Catalogue entries (117)
Filter these entries by era, material or confidenceSorted by date, earliest first.
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
2c Eagle revenue stamped bank check
June 14, 1869
2c Eagle revenue stamped bank check — revenue stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2011.2005.711), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA RN-B1. Dated by the museum: June 14, 1869. Medium: paper; ink (orange / black). Scott's RN numbers cover revenue stamped paper: cheques, receipts and…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
3c George W. Laird revenue stamp single
1870
3c George W. Laird revenue stamp single — revenue stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1998.2013.5390.1), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA RT14b. Dated by the museum: 1870. Medium: paper; ink (black). Scott's RT numbers cover private die perfumery and cosmetic stamps, printed from…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
$2 Alexander Hamilton Beer revenue stamp single
1871
$2 Alexander Hamilton Beer revenue stamp single — revenue stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1999.2018.468), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA REA29. Dated by the museum: 1871. Medium: paper; ink (red brown / black). Scott's REA numbers cover United States beer stamps, used to sh…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
6c Post Office Department single
1873
6c Post Office Department single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2010.2004.131), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA O50. Dated by the museum: 1873. Medium: paper; ink (black). Scott's O numbers cover official stamps, issued from 1873 to individual federal departments…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
7c War Department Official Edwin Stanton single
1873
7c War Department Official Edwin Stanton single — revenue stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 0.203453(1).23.28.3), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA O87. Dated by the museum: 1873. Medium: paper; ink (rose) / engraved. Scott's O numbers cover official stamps, issued from 1873 to…
Partial type record
Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons
modern coins
Trade dollar
1873-1885
The Trade dollar is an American silver coin minted by the United States Mint between 1873 and 1885, struck primarily for commerce in East Asia rather than domestic circulation. It was produced to compete with foreign silver coinage, particularly the Spanish dollar and Mexican peso, which had long formed the standard…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
30c Hamilton single
October 14, 1874
30c Hamilton single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1980.2493.792), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA 165. Dated by the museum: October 14, 1874. Depicts: Alexander Hamilton, American, 1757 - 1804. Medium: white wove paper; ink (gray black); adhesive / engraving.
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
60c Justice Newspaper and Periodical imprint single
1875
60c Justice Newspaper and Periodical imprint single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2005.2004.1561), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA PR44. Dated by the museum: 1875. Medium: paper; ink (pale rose). Scott's PR numbers cover the newspaper and periodical stamps issued…
Partial type record
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
modern coins
1 Dollar, United States, 1878
1878
Museum specimen in the Smithsonian National Numismatic Collection (1980.0108.0002), dated 1878, place made: United States. Museum record — Object name in the museum record: Coin. Maker or mint: U.S. Mint, Carson City. Materials: silver (overall metal); struck (overall production method); overall: 2.4 mm x 37.9 mm;…
Partial type record
Brandon Grossardt (photograph); George T. Morgan (design)
modern coins
United States Morgan Dollar
1878–1904, 1921
The Morgan dollar is a United States silver coin with a face value of one dollar, created by United States Mint Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan. Authorised under the Bland–Allison Act of 1878, it represented the first standard silver dollar struck following the passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which had broug…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
3c Postage Due single
1879
3c Postage Due single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2011.2004.36), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA J3. Dated by the museum: 1879. Medium: paper; ink (brown). Scott's J numbers cover postage due stamps, applied by the post office to underpaid mail to show the amou…
Partial type record
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
banknotes
100 Dollars, Legal Tender Note, United States, 1880
1880
Museum specimen in the Smithsonian National Numismatic Collection (NU.78.5.212), dated 1880, place made: United States. Museum record — Object name in the museum record: note. Maker or mint: Lincoln, Abraham. Materials: paper (overall material); overall: 8 cm x 19 cm x.01 cm; 3 5/32 in x 7 15/32 in x in.
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
Revenue Stamp
1881
Revenue Stamp — revenue stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1999.2018.433), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA RB19. Dated by the museum: 1881. Medium: paper; adhesive. Scott's RB numbers cover proprietary revenue stamps, used on medicines, perfumery, matches and similar goods taxe…
Partial type record
National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
modern coins
5 Cents, Pattern, United States, 1882
1882
Museum specimen in the Smithsonian National Numismatic Collection (1985.0441.2066), dated 1882, place made: United States. Museum record — Object name in the museum record: coin. Maker or mint: United States Mint. Materials: nickel (overall metal); struck (overall production method).
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
Undenom Allen's City Dispatch single
1882
Undenom Allen's City Dispatch single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2004.2019.6), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA 3L3. Dated by the museum: 1882. Medium: paper (yellow); ink (red). Local posts and private letter carriers operated in American cities in the nineteen…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
Post Office seal
c. 1889
Post Office seal — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 2011.2004.17), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA OX7. Dated by the museum: c. 1889. Medium: paper; ink (bistre brown). Scott's OX numbers cover Post Office Department official seals, used to seal registered letters and…
Partial type record
United States Mint/Jacques Shinier via Wikimedia Commons
modern coins
Classic commemorative half dollars
1892-1954
Classic commemorative half dollars are United States legal tender coins produced by the United States Mint. The classic era of American commemorative coinage commenced in 1892 with the issuance of the Columbian Exposition half dollar. Each issue was authorised by an individual act of Congress to commemorate specific…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
$2 Columbus in Chains single
1893
$2 Columbus in Chains single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1980.2493.1639), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA 242. Dated by the museum: 1893. Depicts: Christopher Columbus, Italian, 1451 - 1506. Medium: paper; ink (brown red) / engraving.
Partial type record
scanned April 2005 by User:Stan Shebs
stamps
Columbian Exposition issue
1893
The Columbian Issue, commonly known as the Columbians, is a series of sixteen postage stamps produced for the United States Post Office to commemorate the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. Recognised as the first commemorative stamp series released by the United States, the stamps were manufactur…
Research required
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
15c Henry Clay single
1894
The object is a postage stamp catalogued under the title "15c Henry Clay single" and referenced in the Scott catalogue as Scott USA 259. In the museum classification, it is categorized under postage stamps. The record notes that identification involves comparing the design, value, colour, perforation or imperforate…
Partial type record
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
stamps
2c carmine Washington Type IV single
1894
2c carmine Washington Type IV single — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 1980.2493.1675), catalogued by the museum as Scott USA unlisted. Dated by the museum: 1894. Depicts: George Washington, American, 1732 - 1799. Medium: paper; ink (carmine); adhesive / engraving.
Partial type record
National Museum of American History via Wikimedia Commons
banknotes
Educational Series silver certificate
Series 1896
The Educational Series refers to a group of three United States silver certificates produced in 1896 by the U.S. Treasury. Production began after Claude M. Johnson, chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, directed that new currency designs be prepared. The series takes its name from the title of the allegoric…
Partial type record
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
modern coins
1/4 dollar from the United States of America, 1900
1900
Silver coin. Obverse: laureate head with Phrygian cap (Barber design) facing right, surrounded by stars. Year at the bottom. Reverse: eagle with spread wings holding a branch in its right talon and a bundle of arrows in its left talon, with an escutcheon on its breast, looking, with a banner with inscription in its…
Partial type record
Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons
modern coins
Saint-Gaudens double eagle
1907-1933
The Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a United States twenty-dollar gold coin struck by the United States Mint between 1907 and 1933. Named after its designer, the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who created both the obverse and reverse, the coin originated from an effort initiated in 1904 by President Theodore Rooseve…
Partial type record
Browse other historical issuers and makers in the Atlas, or read how attributions are made in the editorial method.