Real? Fake? or just real fake? Part 2 : Broadside

I'd hear the term Broadside before, but I had never seen one. Few actually have ever seen one and even fewer have ever held one. The most famous broadside ever published were the copies of the Declaration of Independence printed by John Dunlap in 1776. 200 were made and only 25 have been found. To most pickers and diggers and to this Urban Archeologist, finding one of these is the penultimate goal...for a guaranteed retirement fund anyway.

Broadsides were around from approximately the 16th to the 19th century and likely their last gasp in North America would have been those that were printed during the Civil War. Like this one:

As browned and brittle as it is, I also know its a fake, or more accurately, a copy made in the 1970's Not to say that this could be valuable someday, but not for the reason most diggers would hope. Still an interesting replica of a "One Sheet - One Sided news announcement" which is what broadsides were. They also advertised executions and products. Gone now, but take a final look at the wording of this news of the star of the worst war to hit american soil:

 It was big news back then.