US Fractional Currency - 25 Cents - Fractional currency was issued during and after the U.S. Civil War due to the hoarding and shortage of gold, silver, and copper coins. The notes were printed from August 21, 1862, until February 15, 1876, in denominations of 3, 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50 cents, with colorful and distinctive designs. All denominations were fractions of a dollar, hence the name Fractional currency. The first issue of fractional currency was called Postage Currency since these notes had as their central vignette the five and ten-cent stamps of the day.