Colonel Grover C. Criswell signed Check - 1970's-80's dated Authentic Autograph Check

Center vignette of Col. Grover C. Criswell. Horse, flag and canon vignettes as well. Great color!!!

Colonel Grover Cleveland Criswell Jr., a renowned American numismatist, author, and politician, was famously known as “the richest man in the world of Confederate money.” Born in Chicago in 1934, Criswell moved to Florida during his youth and later graduated from The Citadel military college in 1955. His lifelong fascination with currency began in childhood and evolved into a highly successful mail-order dealing business.

Beyond his commercial achievements, Criswell entered public service early. In 1960, at the age of 25, he was elected as the mayor of St. Petersburg Beach, Florida, making him one of the youngest mayors in the country at the time. He later ran for the U.S. House of Representatives but declined a directorship offer from President John F. Kennedy to the U.S. Mint to pursue his congressional ambitions.

Criswell’s true legacy lies in his flamboyant personality and his foundational contributions to the study of Civil War-era paper money. He served as the president of the American Numismatic Association from 1977 to 1979 and authored definitive texts such as “Confederate and Southern States Currency,” which remains a cornerstone reference for collectors.

Known for his distinctive Colonel Sanders-style string tie, carrying a .38 revolver on road trips, and his dynamic appearances on television shows like “To Tell the Truth,” Criswell masterfully blended showmanship with rigorous expertise. Despite a high-profile heist at his personal money museum in the 1960s that forced a relocation, Criswell remained the preeminent authority on paper currency until his passing from a heart attack in 1999.