Pennsylvania: July 20, 1775
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  • Pennsylvania Index

    Pennsylvania Currency

    July 20, 1775

    An emission of £35,000 in bills of credit. Permission for this and subsequent issues were denied by the royal governor but the bills were issued pursuant to several legislative resolves, hence the bills from these issues are known as "resolve money." Interestingly, the Penn arms, which had been on all bills except the 1764 issue, was replaced by the British arms. Four border cuts on the front, one of which (on the 40s note) is signed by the designer of the cuts, James Smithers. Smithers, who later became a Tory sympathizer, also cut the dies for the Pitt Token. The backs feature nature prints. Bills from this emission were printed by Hall and Sellers in Philadelphia on paper containing mica flakes and blue threads. Each denomination comes in plates A and B with a different spelling of the colony name "Pennsylvania" on each plate. This is the continuation of an anti-counterfeiting measure used by Franklin and Hall. Usually numbered in red ink and at least one of the three signatures in red. Denominations issued were: 10s, 20s, 30s and 40s.

    obv rev


    20s                  Plate A                     Serial Number: 3155                 PA 07/20/75

    Signers: Thomas Pryor, Godfrey Twells (in red ink), Isaac Howell.

    Size: 88 x 72mm (front border design: 86 x 68mm; back border design: 84 x 67mm).

    Comments: Numbered in red ink; second signature in red ink, rest in black ink. British Arms with G R for Georgius Rex appear on left. Below the denomination is keyed to four crowns. The two columns of the front are transposed in plate B. Colony name appears as "PENNSYLVANIA". Nature print on the back shows three fern branches. The paper contains mica flakes and blue threads.

    Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/13/96 lot 443. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.

    obv rev


    20s                  Plate B                     Serial Number: 5912                 PA 07/20/75

    Signers: Lambert Cadwalader, Samuel C. Morris, John Benezet.

    Size: 90 x 72mm (front border design: 85 x 69mm; back border design: 84 x 67mm).

    Comments: Numbered and signed in brown ink. British Arms with G R for georgius Rex appears on left. below the denomination is keyed to four crowns. Colony name appears as "PENNSILVANIA". Nature print on the back contains three fern branches. The paper contains mica flakes and blue threads.

    Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/13/96 lot 443. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.