Great book, information in it helps with anyone's collection and gives you alot of history and information. The pictures are helpful in identifing paper money and notes from Kansas towns.

The purpose of this book is to update the original 1980 Societyof Paper Money Collectors Kansas catalog. The author's past 30-plus years of in-depth study and research has produced an excellent monogram on this topic. As the book's title states, it's richly supplied with many black and white illustrations.

No question the obsolete currency of early Kansas paper money is very rare. Keep in mind Kansas was in existence for only a short period of the obsolete note issuing period of which was from the early 1800s until the 1860s. Kansas became a Territory in 1854 and achieved statehood in 1861. The federal government took over the issuing of paper money soon thereafter. Hence, Kansas had only about 10 years to which bankers and merchants issued the obsolete notes that are today such popular collectors items.

The book is organized into four major periods. These are: (1) Territorial Period (1854-1861), (2) Statehoold Period (Jan.-June, 1861) (3) Civil War (1861-1863), and (4) Post Civil War (1864-1879). The last two chapters deal with miscellanious scrip (1870-1930) and the Natonal Bank Note Period (1864-1935).

Since there were different types of issues, the notes are further separated into three major categories. These are issues from banks, merchants, and municipal governments. Banks are further categorized as fraudulent and intended banks, commonly know as "wildcats" of the territorial period. The author's intent is to list the notes 1863 banks that may have issued scrip and printers and engravers of pre-1880 notes. the book contains an excellent bibliography.

The book is highly recommended to collectors of Kansas paper money and those interested in the early commercial development of Kansas, particularly the development of Kansas banking.