South Carolina Currency
July 6, 1789 - City of Charleston
An emission of £4,525 sterling in treasury notes from the City of Charleston to replace worn bills and usable for all payments due to the city. The engraved front of each denomination contains the name of the engraver, named Abernethie. The three lowest denominations were signed by one city commissioner and the higher denominations were signed by two commissioners. Apparently the bills were never numbered although a space for numbering was provided. The bills were declared void on October 9, 1793. Denominations issued were: 6d, 9d, 1s, 1s3d, 1s6d, 2s and 2s6d.obv
6d Serial Number: unnumbered SC 07/06/89
Signer: L. Foster.
Size: not available.
Comments: Apparently this issue was unnumbered although there was a space for the number at the top. This denomination contains one signature in brown ink. The front of this engraved bill has a vignette of a beehive with the name of the engraver below "Abernethie fecit" (Abernethie made it). No image is available of the blank back.
Courtesy of Early American Numismatic Auctions, Inc. Images used with permission from their on-line auction catalog for the auction of April 20, 1996, lot 602.
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1s3d Serial Number: unnumbered SC 07/06/89
Signer: unsigned remainder.
Size: 58 x 151mm (front border design: 53 x 134mm).
Comments: This is an unsigned and unnumbered remainder. Usually this denomination would bear two signatures. The front of this engraved bill has a vignette of a tobacco plant and a coil of hemp rope. In the scrollwork to the right of the vignette the engraver added his name "Abernethie fecit" (Abernethie made it). Note that in the fourth line of the text the word tresaury is misspelled as "Treasusy." The back is blank. Click here to view the back
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/18/97 Lot 397. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
