If you had a $5 bill that ripped in half because of overuse, what would you do? If you lived more than 200 years ago in Colonial America, you probably would have taken a needle and thread and sewn the note back together as best you could! Today, these hand-sewn “Betsy Ross” paper notes from Colonial times are scarce and valuable pieces of American history.

Remember, the Colonial era was not a time that saw floods of currency. Paper money often fell apart due to overuse. The notes were folded and crammed in pockets and, after circulating for a while, the notes broke in half and sometimes in fourths. Besides sewing the notes together, some enterprising folks backed the crumbling notes with glue made from animal hides. This method was exceptionally messy and sewing notes back together was the more popular method of getting the most out of one’s money. Talk about making your money work for you!