About the Creator: Attributed to Samuel Curtis Upham. Samuel Curtis Upham (February 1819-1885) was a small producer of stationery and toiletry supplies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is widely known for having printed tens of thousands of pieces of Confederate currency during the American Civil War, yet he likely had little or no intention of defrauding the Confederate authorities. He estimated that he sold approximately $50,000 of counterfeit money, actions which he attributed to having helped the Union war effort.