At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, visitors could take home a unique souvenir—a tiny shoe made from real U.S. currency! These miniature models were created from macerated greenbacks, a process that involved shredding and pulping old, unfit paper money to form new shapes.

Greenbacks were a form of paper currency first issued by the U.S. government during the Civil War to finance the Union’s war efforts. Unlike gold or silver-backed money, greenbacks were fiat currency, meaning their value relied solely on government backing. Over time, as bills wore out, the Treasury needed a secure way to dispose of them. Rather than simply burning the old notes, officials began macerating them—a method that turned the money into a wet pulp, which could then be molded into novelty items.

At the fair, these macerated money souvenirs—ranging from shoes and books to busts of famous figures—were sold as curiosities. Some even had labels estimating how many dollars’ worth of shredded bills went into their creation - this shoe is supposedly made of about $5,000! These items fascinated the public, offering a tangible piece of history in a transformed state.

Your museum’s macerated greenback shoe serves as a rare and intriguing relic of this practice, connecting visitors to a time when discarded money found new life as artful mementos. The shoe is on display at the Riley House museum, located at 130 E. Market St. in Celina, Ohio. We are open Monday and Friday from 9-5 and admission is free.