Existing comment:
1776-1861:
Money for a New Nation:
Fighting the American Revolution was expensive. Paper money -- an ingenious substitute for coins -- saved the day. At the war's end, people hoped for a coin-based economy, but precious metal remained hard to find. The first U.S. Mint private banks, states, and other entities all sought a dependable, expandable monetary system for a growing nation. They found a solution in paper money. |