At any given time from the onset of the civil war until today, the US had as many as six different currencies circulating at the same time

2/ DEMAND NOTES Demand Notes were the 1st circulation of paper notes by the U.S. Govt. Issued 1861-62 as a way to pay for Civil War costs, the notes were Govt IOUs and were called Demand Notes because they were payable “on demand” in coin at certain Treasury facilities

3/ US NOTES 1862-1994 United States Notes, also known as legal tender notes, were the first widespread United States paper currency. Initially placed into circulation in 1862, they were deemed legal tender, payable for public and private debts.

3/ GOLD 1865-1936, & SILVER CERTIFICATES 1878-1965 Representative currency where the paper certificate could be exchanged for a fixed amount of gold or silver coin.

4/ NATIONAL BANK NOTES 1863-1938 Prior to the issuance of currency notes by the Government, private banks issued their own paper currency.

5/ FEDERAL RESERVE NOTES 1914-TODAY Federal Reserve Notes, also United States banknotes or U.S. banknotes, are the banknotes currently used in the United States. Denominated in United States dollars, Federal Reserve Notes are the only type of U.S. banknote currently produced.