North Carolina Currency
April 4, 1748
An emission of £21,350 in indented bills of credit made legal tender at the Proclamation Money rate. The notes were printed from engraved copper plates, with a different emblem on each denomination of 2s and above. These was also a left margin design to be used for the indent cut. North Carolina had only printed six previous emission and no government notes had been issued since 1735. Because of continual inflation, earlier notes were worth far less than face value. This emission was to be used to redeem the outstanding older notes at the rate of 7.5 older notes to one new note. The balance of the emission was to be used to upgrade fortifications and pay off the public debt. Fort Johnson was depicted on the £3 note. Denominations issued were: 4d, 8d, 1s, 1s6d, 2s, 2s6d, 3s, 5s, 6s, 7s6d, 9s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 40s and £3.obv
40s Serial Number: 551 NC 04/04/48
Signers: Eleazer Allen, Edward Moseley, Samuel Swann, John Starkey.
Size: 68 x 139mm (indented bill; from top to bottom border on front: 63mm; from inner border of right margin to left border: 112mm; the back is blank).
Comments: Signed and numbered in light brown ink that has faded. Emblem (29mm) in front lower left depicts a drum with crossed canons, crossed flags and crossed spears all within a wreath. Floriate acanthus design in the left indented border. A the top left is a small portion of another note. Apparently the sheet alternated with double line and wreath design for the emblem border. Also the first line of text is in gothic script while the remianing lines are roman, just the opposite of the £3 note described below. The black back contains numerous handwritten annotations in brown ink, including: John Byard, Jon B., John (?), William Tisdle 3rd, Thomas Dean Sr., Q.G. to G.Ad (?) and Thomas Dean Sr. Others are faded. Click here to view the annotated back.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EAHA mail bid auction of 11/1/97, lot 414.
obv
£3 Serial Number: 695 NC 04/04/48
Signers: John Starkey, Eleazer Allen, Edward Moseley, Samuel Swann.
Size: 63 x 136mm (indented bill; from top to bottom border on front: 61mm; from inner border of right margin to the left border: 112mm; the back is blank).
Comments: Signed and numbered in light brown ink that has faded. The emblem (29mm) in front lower left depicts Fort Johnson flying the Britsh Union Jack flag; below is a cannon, three canon balls and a keg of gunpowder. There is a sea shell and acanthus design in the left indented border. Note that the first line of text is in Roman script while the remaining lines are in gothic. Our example has been professionally reattached in the center.
The blank back contains numerous handwritten annotations in black and brown inks. On the left half of the note are: "Mr Simons May 22, 1765 T.G.," Is. B. SC, Thomas Picket to F.B., Sol Sejourn Dec. 71, Robert Bignal to Q.B., A. Atkinson, Elias ND Hilyard to Ia C.C., ? to Mike Horn to Dempsey Davison, Thomas Toy [to] Norris. On the right half of the note are: Th. Hunter to L. ?, Thomas Contrain to Lizzy, W. from Shallow, Stephen Cobb, Richard Smith from Jonas, E.B. to J.B., £46 : 10 : 4, Marchel Dagger, Oneal to ? Holt to 59; Demcey Davison. Click here to view the full annotated back. For details see the side view of the left portion. and the opposite view the left portion also see the side view of the right portion
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from EAHA mail bid auction of 1/17/98, lot 359.
