Virginia Currency
May 4, 1778 - Printed date
An emission of $600,000 in treasury bills without legal tender status and redeemable in Spanish milled dollars by December 1, 1785. Part of the issue was printed from forms used for earlier issues which left space for the date to be added by hand. The remainder of the emission was issued on notes containing new border cuts, a redesigned state arms and the date printed on the note (rather than leaving a blank to be filled in by hand). Also for the first time two control letters were added, they are found above the state arms. These are considered to be the first series designation on American paper money. The redesigned arms still show Liberty as a soldier trampling a foe but the previous misprint in the state motto has been corrected to "Sic semper tyrannis" (So always to tyrants). This issue was printed on both thick rag paper containing blue fibers and on thin laid paper. The six lowest denominations have one signer while the higher denominations have two signers. Denominations issued of the printed date style were: $ 1/6, $ 1/4, $ 1/3, $ 2/3, $1, $3, $5, $6, $7, $10 and $15.obv
$10 Serial Number: 1900 Control letters: cu VA 05/04/78
Signers: L. Wood, James Wray.
Size: 65 x 95mm (front border design: 63 x 93mm; back blank).
Comments: Number and first signature in light brown ink, second signature in darker ink. State insignia appears on left showing Liberty as a soldier triumphant over her foe with the motto: "Sic semper tyrannus" (So always to tyrants). Printed on heavy rag paper containing blue threads. This is the first issue to have control letters. Click here to view the blank back.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 04/20/96, lot 610.
