Via the Smithsonian Institute.

In August, the Smithsonian Institution announced that they were seeking volunteers to help digitize parts of their massive collection for preservation. With thousands of scanned images of historical documents needed to be transcribed, there’s a lot of history volunteers can unlock from helping out.

With one of their most recent transcription projects, those who volunteer have a rare opportunity to get a glimpse of the history of currency and banking in D.C. The National Museum of American History has 139 pages of certified currency proofs of the District of Columbia that need to be transcribed. The contents of each proof contains a multitude of information that gives an apt portrait of America from 1863-1935.

As the Smithsonian notes, each currency proof “[tells] stories of the Northeastern region and its leadership” through “details about banks in different states, territories, and districts of the United States.” Some of the notes “even have about banks in different states, territories, and districts of the United States.”

In an email, Jennifer Jones, Chair of Armed Forces History and Numismatics at the Museum of American History, says that “hopefully, these images will allow research to begin or will bring a new understanding to the history of our nation, as seen through the multitude of banks across America that were chartered by the BEP to create currency.”

The notes in the collection were saved at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing until the early ’70s, where they were transferred to the Smithsonian. The Institute’s Division of Numismatics holds about 350,000 proofs of currency, bonds, revenue stamps, checks, commissions, awards, food stamps, and food coupons.”

Jones says that with these certified currency proofs of D.C., it “opens up a new collection, in its entirety, for the first time” for numismatists around the world.

You can sign up to be a transcriber for these proofs here.