Georgia Currency
September 10, 1777 Resolution
An emission of typeset certificates of credit payable in Continental Currency based on the September 10, 1777 resolution to support Continental troops. The issue states "...for the Support of the Continental Troops, and other Expences of Government...". Fractional denominations were printed in black and smaller in size. Dollar denominations were printed in red and black with red circular seals on $1-$4 dollar bills and dark blue circular seals on the higher denominations. Fractional bills had two or three signers while higher denominations had five signers. The denominations printed were: $1/5, $1/2, $4/5, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7 and $8 notes.obv
$4 Serial Number: 498 GA 09/10/77
Signers: James Habersham, Richard Wylly, William O'Brien, Nehemiah Wade (four signers only).
Size: 77 x 85mm. (front border design 71 x 83mm; blank back).
Comments: Printed in a bright red and black inks with a red circular seal depicting a stag. The left ornamental border has been partly cut off. This denomination usually five signatures (as in the $6 example below) but there are only four signatures on our example, all in brown ink. Note that O'Brien and Wade did not use the empty space but signed sideways (as on the example below). The back is blank. Click here to view the blank back.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 12/02/95 lot 433. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
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$6 Serial Number: 1460 GA 09/10/77
Signers: W. Hohendorf, C. F. Chevalier, Richard Wylly, William O'Bryen, Nehemiah Wade.
Size: 75 x 87mm. (front border design 71 x 83mm; back blank).
Comments: The certificate is printed in red and black ink. In the lower right corner is a blue-black circular seal depicting a bird looking at a palm tree with a mill stone weight on top; the motto above reads: "Opressa surgit" (Having been oppressed it rises up). This is similar to the Continental currency $1 emblem, "Depressa resurgit." Five signatures in brown ink. In this, as in several but not all notes, it is apparent that the top signer also numbered the note. The blank back of this certificate has a faded annotation written in a brown ink. The "roa" in the upper right corner of the back is a modern annotation in pencil. Click here to view the annotated back.
Provenance: From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.
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$7 Serial Number: 3489 GA 09/10/77
Signers: W. Hohendorf, C. F. Chevalier, Richard Wylly, William O'Bryen , Nehemiah Wade.
Size: not available.
Comments: The certificate is printed in red and black ink. In the lower right corner is a blue-black circular seal depicting a liberty cap with a cornucopia and a caduceus; the motto above reads: "Libertas carior auro" (Liberty id dearer than gold). Five signatures in brown ink. The back is blank.
Courtesy of Early American Numismatic Auctions, Inc. Images used with permission from their on-line auction catalog for the auction of April 21, 1996, lot 445.
