Personal Finance

We don’t want this confederate cash from the Civil War—should we sell it, donate it, or throw it away?

Maurie Backman

Published: March 10, 2025 10:09 am

Some people inherit IRAs, artwork, jewelry, or real estate from loved ones. But sometimes, an inheritance can bring up tricky feelings — especially if the asset that’s been passed on doesn’t align with your moral or social views.

That’s the situation this Reddit poster is in. Here, we have a person living in the South who’s inherited Confederate money from their family. But they don’t want any piece of it.

They considered selling it and donating the proceeds to charity, but they’re worried that the money will then get into the wrong hands. And they’re not sure where to go from here.

This is definitely a tough situation. But I think the poster has some options to look at.

Using a questionable asset for good

I can understand why the poster here would be hesitant to sell their Confederate money. They’re worried it could get into the hands of racists or people who might try to push a certain movement.

But the reality is that a racist isn’t so likely to pay good money for a Civil War relic. That money is more likely to wind up being purchased by a Civil War enthusiast or historian.

Furthermore, Confederate money has the potential to be quite valuable. So the poster here could sell it and use the proceeds to help a charity they value in a meaningful way.

It’s also possible that the poster can donate the money to a museum or historical organization. That may, however, trigger a tax write-off for them. If they really don’t want to benefit financially from that money, this solution may not work (though they could always opt not to report the tax deduction).

However, they should also consider their financial situation when making the choice. If the poster ears a very low wage and has a lot of debt, the proceeds from selling the money could make a big difference in their life.

It pays to speak to a financial advisor

The poster here should do some research to find out what their Confederate money may be worth. From there, it wouldn’t hurt to speak to a financial advisor about their options.

Of course, one additional route they could take is burning the money or throwing it away if they truly want nothing to do with it. But there is a value in preserving history, even if it’s not a part of history to be proud of.  

The Civil War happened, and there’s nothing anyone can do to change that. So at this point, the poster should do some soul searching and see if they can recognize the value of sharing that money with the public so future generations understand the events that transpired. That would, in this case, mean donating the money to a museum or historical society.

All told, it’s a tough decision. But I have to give this poster credit. A lot of other people would take the money and use it to improve their lives without hesitation. This poster has a good conscience and heart, and it shows.