Texas Civil War Treasury Warrant

Johns, Clements Reed, Comptroller Of Texas

Publication: 1862, NP

Texas Treasury Warrant No. 41.991 for $36.98. Receivable for Treasury Warrant. Appropriation 102Q (?) under Act of (?) 13, 1862, for Civil Service, The Treasurer of the State of Texas will pay Thirty-six 98/100 ... dollars to W. R. MASON or Bearer. Signed by the Comptroller's Office, Austin, Aug 23, 1862. Signed by Comptroller C.R. Johns (Clements Reed Johns 1858 - 1864). Endorsed on back by C.N. Randolph, Jr. Printed in black ink on blue underprint. Liberty is pictured at left, a beehive is pictured at the upper right, and a rosebud at the bottom center. This certificate, called a Treasury Warrant from The Treasury of the State of Texas, was issued during the Civil War after Texas had seceded from the United States of America. It was intended to be used and circulated as money. "Some Texas warrants had 18 -- printed, which have written amounts. Since the warrants could be used to pay taxes and other debts due to the State, which frequently were not in even dollar amounts, the excess was refunded by Treasury Warrants with written denominations. Thus, if the amount of tax was $18.74 and a warrant of $20 was tendered in payment, the payer received in return a Treasury Warrant with a written amount of $1.26 the represented the excess. While this may seem unusual, it was a convenient way to get around the shortage of coins. Warrants with written denominations were also used by the state to pay for goods or services that were priced in odd amounts. Fine.