Rhode Island Currency
January 15, 1776
An emission of £40,000 in legal tender bills of credit, payable by January 15, 1781. They were issued to replace the notes from the interest bearing emissions of May 3, June 16 and June 29 of 1775. Notes of 10s and highewr were redeemed by November 1, 1778. There were two signers on notes of 4s or below (which had blank backs) with three signers on the higher notes, which had printed backs. Printed by John Carter in Providence. Denominations issued were: 6d, 9d, 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 60s.obv
4s Serial Number: 1058 RI 01/15/76
Signers: John Cole and Welcome Arnold.
Size: 103 x 69mm (front border design: 94 x 67mm; back blank).
Comments: Numbering and first signature in brown ink, second signature in red ink. Three border cuts on the front and the state arms, with a cod fish in the upper border. There are handwritten calculations on the blank back as follows: £3 1s9d minus 12s4d equals £3 14s minus 3s equals £3 11s1d. Click here to view the full back. and Click here to view just the calculations.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EAHA mail bid auction 11/1/97, lot 436.
