Pennsylvania Currency
April 20, 1781
An emission of £486,500 in bills of credit designated as "New Bills" pursuant to the act of April 7, 1781 to support the army and the act of January 31, 1783 to exchange currency of the emission of April 10, 1777 and earlier issues for new bills. The little balls in the corners of the state arms are keyed to the denominations, as had been done in the fractional "fugio" issues of the Continental Congress emission of February 17, 1776. The 3d through the 1s6d notes are smaller in size and have typeset backs. The other denominations have a nature print on the backs except the 2s6d which has a chevron pattern and the £5 which bears an engraving of the farm scene used on the April 10, 1777 emission. The notes were printed in Philadelphia by John Dunlap on paper watermarked PENSYL / VANIA. The 3d through 5s notes have one signature. Higher denominations have two signatures with one signature and the numbering in red ink. The 3d through 9d denominations were printed with plates A and B, the 2s through 5s notes have plate A, the 1s6d and denominations of 10s and above are without plate designation. Denominations issued were: 3d, 6d, 9d, 1s6d, 2s, 2s6d, 5s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and £5.
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6d Plate A Serial Number: 2,983 PA 04/20/81
Signer: Michael Schubart.
Size: 74 x 61mm (front border design: 70 x 52mm; back border design: 70 x 51mm).
Comments: Numbered and signed in red ink. Arms of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the front with a ship, plow and bundles of wheat. The two dots in the corners are keyed to the denomination, each dot representing 3 pence. This example is from plate B. According to Newman the words in the bottom margin "SIX-PENCE" are closer together in plate B than in plate A. The paper is watermarked: "YL PE / IA V" in two lines oriented rom the back, from top to bottom.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 11/16/96, lot 694.
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9d Plate C Serial Number: 1,918 PA 04/20/81
Signer: Joseph Dean.
Size: 75 x 61mm (front border design: 70 x 58mm; back border design: 67 x 51mm).
Comments: Numbered and signed in red ink. Arms of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the front with a ship, plow and bundles of wheat. The three dots in the corners are keyed to the denomination, each dot representing 3 pence. This is an example of plate A. In plate A the words "NINE PENCE" in the lower border are in black, while on plate B they are in white. The paper is watermarked: "PEN / VAN" in two lines oriented rom the back, from top to bottom.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 11/16/96, lot 694.
