Pennsylvania Currency
October 1, 1773
An emission of £150,000 in bills of credit to revive the loan office system. Printed by Hall and Sellers in Philadelphia in red and black ink with the Penn family arms on the front and a cast cut of a farm scene on the back. The farm scene differs slightly on each denomination. There are cast border cuts on the front with the border above the columns printed in both red and black ink. On the 10s-50s notes the text is partly in red so that it forms the roman numeral denomination of the note (X on 10s, XV on 15s, l for £1 on 20s and L on the 50s note). The paper contains mica flakes. There are three signers with one frequently in red ink. Throughout the denominations the spelling of the colony name "Pennsylvania" is found in various forms. This is the continuation of an anti-counterfeiting measure used by Franklin and Hall. Denominations issued were: 18d, 2s, 2s6d, 5s, 10s, 15s, 20s and 50s.obv
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2s Serial Number: 1801 PA 10/01/73
Signers: Benjamin Morgan, Barnaby Barnes, William Fisher, Jr.
Size: 70 x 90mm (front border design: 67 x 87mm; back border design: 62 x 83mm).
Comments: The front right border is printed in red and black. Penn family arms with motto "Mercy Justice" appear in upper left corner. Colony name appears as "Pennsylvania". The paper contains mica flakes.
Provenance: From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.
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10s Serial Number: 27,566 PA 10/01/73
Signers: Thomas Leech, William Crispin, James Stephens.
Size: 94 x 68mm (front border design: 88.5 x 67mm; back border design: 84 x 62mm).
Comments: Numbering and the first and third signatures in black ink with the second signature in red ink. The front is printed in red and black inks with the top border being in both colors and a red 'X' worked into the type of the main text. The Penn family arms with the motto "Mercy Justice" appears in the upper left. The denomination is represented with two crowns below the arms. Colony name appears as "Pensylvania ". The paper contains mica flakes.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EAHA mail bid auction of 5/23/98, lot 428 where it was graded as Crisp Gem Uncirculated.
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15s Serial Number: 19,924 PA 10/01/73
Signers: James Harthy, Alexander Tod, Joseph Mifflin.
Size: 91 x 68mm (front border design: 88 x 67mm; back border design: 83 x 67mm).
Comments: The front is printed in red and black ink with the top border being in both colors and a red 'XV' being worked into the set type (one line is shared by both letters). Penn family arms with the motto "Mercy Justice" appear in upper right. The denomination is keyed to three crowns below the text. Colony name appears as "Pensylvania". The paper contains mica flakes.
Provenance: Donated by Felix Roppert of New York City in January 1936.
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50s Serial Number: 4070 PA 10/01/73
Signers: Joseph Mifflin, Alexander Tod, James Hartley.
Size: 91 x 73.5mm (front border design: 88 x 67mm; back border design: 83 x 67mm).
Comments: Signed and numbered in brown inks. The front is printed in red and black inks with the top border being in both colors and a red 'L' worked into the type of the main text. The Penn family arms with the motto "Mercy Justice" appears on the left center. The denomination is represented as ten crowns, five above and five below the arms. The colony name appears as "Pennsilvania ". The paper contains mica flakes with a piece of mica protruding on the inner side of the right column.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 1/13/96, lot 439.
