Continental Currency
September 26, 1778
Emissions totaling $75,001,080 payable in Spanish milled dollars, or the equivalent in gold or silver, were authorized by nine separate resolutions between September 26, 1778 and July 17, 1779. A large portion was authorized and issued simultaneously with the issue of January 14, 1779. This emission was the first issue of the Continental $50 and $60 denominations which were designed by Francis Hopkinson. The entire series has new nature prints on the reverse as well as new typeset ornamental borders. By the date of this issue the Congress officially valued the currency at $4.00 in Contenental dollars for $1 in specie. Printed by Hall and Sellers in Philadelphia. The paper, made at Ivy Mills in Chester County, Pennsylvania, contained blue fibers and mica flakes. Detector bills were printed on blue paper. Denominations printed were the: $5, $7, $8, $20, $30, $40, $50 and $60.obv
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$5 Serial Number: 186,167 CC 09/26/78
Signers: Joseph Walter, Lewis Farmer (in red).
Size: 74 x 95.5mm (front border design: 70 x 91mm; back border design: 67 x 88mm).
Comments: Numbering and second signature in a faded red ink, the first signature is in a brown ink. The emblem on the front (39mm) shows a hand in a thorn bush bleeding from pricks with the motto: SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE. This is the most difficult emblem in the series to understand. Benjamin Franklin explained the Continental Currency emblems in a letter published under the pseudonym of Clericus in the Pennsylvania Gazette of September 20, 1775. For the five dollar emblem he explained:
...we have a thorny bush, which a hand seems attempting to eradicate. The hand appears to bleed, as pricked by spines. The motto is, SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE; which may be rendered, Bear with me, or let me alone; or thus, Either support or leave me. The bush I suppose to mean America, the bleeding hand Britain. Would to God that bleeding were stopt, the wounds of that hand healed, and its future operations directed by wisdom and equity; so shall the hawthorn flourish, and form an hedge around it, annoying with her thorns only its invading enemies. [B. Franklin, Writings, ed. by J.A. Leo Lemay, 1987, pp. 734-738 on p. 735.]The nature print on the back is of crossed willow leaves.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the collection of William Warne of Harvey Cedars, NJ on 5/1/98.
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$5 detector bill Serial Number: unnumbered CC 09/26/78
Signers: unsigned counterfeit detector
Size: 74 x 91mm (front border design: vertical dimension: 69mm, horizontal dimension trimmed on our example; back border design: vertical dimension trimmed on our example, horizontal dimension: 67mm).
Comments: This is a counterfeit detector bill which was issued unsigned on blue paper. The emblem on the front shows a bleeding hand in a thorn bush with the motto: SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE (Either with sustenance or with abstinence). The meaning of this emblem is explained in the previous entry. The nature print on the back is of crossed willow leaves. The left front border of our example has been torn and repaired; unfortunately, when the repair was made, the missing piece was reattached upside down.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 12/2/95 lot 400. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
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$7 Serial Number: 117,666 CC 09/26/78
Signers: Jedediah Snowden and Robert Cather
Size: 72 x 97mm (front border design: 90 x 70mm; back border design: 87 x 67mm).
Comments: The numbering and second signature are in red ink; the top signature is in black ink. Both Joseph and Jedediah Snowden signed notes of this emission but this signatue is tht of Jedediah as discussed under the entry for the $50 note of this issue. The emblem on the front shows a storm at sea with the motto: "Serenabit" (It will clear up). The nature print on the back displays a grape and sage leaf. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes, with a large mica flak in the back under the S in DOLLARS.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EAHA mail bid auction 12/13/97, lot 219.
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$8 Serial Number: 312,858 CC 09/26/78
Signers: Daniel Wister (Wistar), Robert Cather (in red ink).
Size: 72 x 93mm (front border design: 69 x 91mm; back border design: 67 x 86mm).
Comments: Numbering and second signature in red ink; first signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows a harp with thirteen strings with the motto: "Majora minoribus consonant" (The larger are in harmony with the smaller). The nature print on the back is of three sage leaves. Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 12/2/95 lot 400. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
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$20 Serial Number: 241,999 CC 09/26/78
Signers: John Graff, Jr. (in red ink), Jacob Masoner.
Size: 72 x 94mm (front border design: 69 x 90mm; back border design: 67 x 87mm).
Comments: Numbering and first signature in red ink; second signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows a strong wind creating waves, with the motto: "Vi concitatae" (It assults with a violent force). The nature print on the back is of buttercup. Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 12/2/95 lot 406. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
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$30 Serial Number: 196,881 CC 09/26/78
Signers: Paul Cox (in red ink), Nathaniel Donnell .
Size: 72.5 x 93mm (front border design: 69.5 x 89.5mm; back border design: 67 x 86mm).
Comments: Numbering and first signature in red ink; second signature in black ink. The emblem on the front shows a wreath on a tomb with the motto: "Si recte facies" (If you act righteously). The nature print on the back is of three willow leaves. Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 12/2/95 lot 406. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
Emission continued on the next page
