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Offered for sale is a remarkable piece of Civil War-era New Jersey history: an original-looking, uncut sheet of three 1861 Volunteer Relief Certificates issued by the City of Hoboken, New Jersey.
Dated 1861, the first year of the American Civil War, these certificates were intended to provide financial assistance to the families of volunteers serving in the military. Each certificate authorized a monthly relief payment of $5 to eligible family members of soldiers serving New Jersey or the United States.
Item Details:
• Date: 1861
• Location: Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey
• Historical Period: American Civil War (1861–1865)
• Format: Uncut sheet of three certificates
• Dimensions: Approximately 12 × 16 inches
• Status: Apparently unissued, with no recipient names or signatures
• Printing: Attractive period typography with decorative red and blue elements
Historical Significance:
These certificates offer a fascinating glimpse into the efforts of local governments to support soldiers and their families during the opening year of the Civil War.
Unlike traditional military documents, these certificates represent the civilian and community response to the conflict, making them particularly appealing to collectors of Civil War memorabilia, New Jersey history, Hoboken history, and 19th-century American ephemera.
The survival of all three certificates together on an uncut sheet adds to the item’s historical and visual appeal.
Condition:
Antique condition with expected age-related toning, fold lines, creasing, and edge wear. The certificates remain connected as one sheet, with attractive decorative printing still visible.
Please carefully examine all photographs, as they form an important part of the condition description.
Believed to be an original period document, although no independent authentication has been performed.
A wonderful opportunity to acquire a distinctive piece of 1861 Civil War home-front history.
The complete sheet will be shipped carefully protected to help preserve its condition during transit.
