Bevill to Speak on Confederate Coins at

Houston Museum of Natural Science, Jan 24, 2012

Houston author and numismatist James P. Bevill will speak on The Untold Story of Confederate Coins as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The lecture is in conjunction with an six month exhibit on Discovering the Civil War, currently at the museum. 

Bevill will treat the audience to the vivid story of the clandestine efforts by the Confederate States of America to produce a national coinage in 1861, struck at the New Orleans mint, only to have the participants go underground. While Confederate paper money was rendered all but worthless due to massive propagation, the Confederate cents and half dollars are ultra-rare numismatic pieces which survived to tell the story of a handful of men who sought to capitalize on their novelty after the war between the states.

Bevill is a numismatist and financial historian who focuses on Texas and Confederate money and its role in our culture and history. Following the lecture, Bevill will sign copies of his book The Paper Republic: The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas.

Jan. 24, 2012 6:30PM, Houston Museum of Natural Science

Wortham IMAX® Theatre, 6:30 p.m.      

Tickets $18 | Members $12

For tickets, purchase online at www.hmns.org or call the Museum Box Office at (713) 639-4629.