Illegal Tender - Counterfeiting And The Secret Service In Nineteenth-century America

In 1862 nearly 80% of American currency in circulation was counterfeit. By the end of the 1860s counterfeit production & distribution networks had spread nationwide. The Federal government responded to this growing illegal enterprise, & in 1865 created the Secret Service -- that over the next 40 years would eradicate counterfeiting as a major crime. This book chronicles one of the most successful law enforcement campaigns ever conducted against the American underworld. This book explores the evolution of counterfeiting, detailing its markets, advertising, & distribution networks. It examines the Secret Service s crime-detecting strategies, & its role in the growth of federalism in the 19th century. Illustrations.