Continental Currency: January 14, 1779
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    Continental Currency

    January 14, 1779

    Emissions totaling $95,051,695 payable in Spanish milled dollars, or the equivalent in gold or silver, were authorized by seven separate resolutions between January 14 and November 29, 1779. $50,000,000 of this was to be used to exchange the for the recall of the May 20, 1777 and April 11, 1778 issues. A new border cut used the legend "United States of North America" and on the reverse are a new series of leaf and cloth nature prints. Also emblems and mottos were cut in a smaller size and part of the emblem and left border of the obverse were printed in red with the remainder in black. Francis Hopkinson designed the new $35, $45, $70 and $80 bills (the last two replacing the $7 and $8), others designed the new $55 and $65 bills. Detector bills were printed in red and black on blue paper. By the date of this issue the Congress officially valued the currency at $7.42 in Contenental dollars for $1 in specie. Printed by Hall and Sellers Philadelphia The paper, made at Ivy Mills in Chester County, Pennsylvania, contained blue fibers and mica flakes. Denominations printed were the: $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $20, $30, $35, $40, $45, $50, $55, $60, $65, $70 and $80.

    obv rev

    $1                 Serial Number: 35,366                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: John Read (or Reed) in red, James Dudas.

    Size: 73 x 93mm (front border design: 68 x 89mm; back border design: 62 x 81mm).

    Comments: Numbering and first signature in red ink; second signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows an acanthus plant with a large weighted pot or basket pressing it down, however the acanthus leaves grow up around the pot. Above is the motto: "DEPRESSA RESURGIT" (Having been pressed down, it rises up again). The nature print on the back is a sprig of tansy. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 8/25/2001, lot 844.

    obv rev

    $2                 Serial Number: 77,120                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: Daniel Wister (sometimes Wistar), Robert Cather (or Caither) (in red).

    Size: 72 x 93mm (front border design: 69 x 89mm; back border design: 62 x 81mm).

    Comments: Numbering and second signature in red ink; first signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows grain being threshed with a flail with the motto: "Tribulatio ditat" (It is enriched by affliction). The nature print on the back is of mulberry leaf. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes and is watermarked "UNITED / STATES" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 2/10/2001, lot 562.

    obv rev

    $4                 Serial Number: 76,960                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: Daniel Wister (sometimes Wistar), Robert Cather (or Caither) (in red).

    Size: 74 x 94mm (front border design: 69 x 90mm; back border design: 63 x 82mm).

    Comments: Numbering and second signature in red ink; first signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front (34mm) shows a wild boar charging into a spear with the motto: "Aut mors aut vita decora" (Either death or an honorable life). The nature print on the back is of a mulberry leaf. The paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "UNITED / STATES" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the collection of William Warne of Harvey Cedars, NJ on 5/1/98.

    obv rev


    $5                 Serial Number: 103,991                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: John Leacock, Nathaniel Donnell (in red).

    Size: 74 x 96mm (front border design: 69 x 93mm; back border design: 62 x 81mm).

    Comments: Numbering and second signature in red ink; first signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front (39mm) shows a bleeding hand in a thorn bush with the motto: SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE. This is the most difficult emblem in the series to understand. Benjamin Franklin explained the Continental Currency emblems in a letter published under the pseudonym of Clericus in the Pennsylvania Gazette of September 20, 1775. For the five dollar emblem he explained:
    ...we have a thorny bush, which a hand seems attempting to eradicate. The hand appears to bleed, as pricked by spines. The motto is, SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE; which may be rendered, Bear with me, or let me alone; or thus, Either support or leave me. The bush I suppose to mean America, the bleeding hand Britain. Would to God that bleeding were stopt, the wounds of that hand healed, and its future operations directed by wisdom and equity; so shall the hawthorn flourish, and form an hedge around it, annoying with her thorns only its invading enemies. [B. Franklin, Writings, ed. by J.A. Leo Lemay, 1987, pp. 734-738 on p. 735.]
    The nature print on the back is of a feverfew leaf. The paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "UNITED / STATES" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the collection of William Warne of Harvey Cedars, NJ on 5/1/98.

    obv rev


    $20                 Serial Number: 30,907                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: Robert Gaither (in red ink), Daniel Wister (sometimes Wistar).

    Size: 71 x 95mm (front border design: 70 x 93mm; back border design: 63 x 81.5mm).

    Comments: Numbering and first signature in red ink; second signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows a strong wind creating waves, with the motto: "Vi concitatae" (It assaults with a violent force). Paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "UNITED / STATES" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front. The nature print on the back is of grape leaves.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 12/2/95, lot 407.

    obv rev


    $30                 Serial Number: 51,381                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: Lodowick (Ludovic) Sprogell (in red ink), John Lawrence.

    Size: 79 x 92mm (front border design: 70 x 89mm; back border design: 64 x 84mm).

    Comments: The numbering and first signature are in a light red ink; the second signature is in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows a wreath on a tomb, with the motto: "Si recte facies" (If you act righteously). A portion of the emblem is printed in red ink. The paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "CONFEDE / RATION" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front. The nature print on the back is a sprig of climbing fumitory.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 08/23/97, lot 420.

    obv rev


    $35                 Serial Number: 157,520                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: J. Graff (in red ink) and Daniel Wister (sometimes Wistar).

    Size: 74 x 96mm (front border design: 70 x 90mm; back border design: 64 x 84mm).

    Comments: The numbering and first signature are in red ink; the second signature is in brown ink. I have not been able to determine if J. Graff is Jacob Graff or John Graff, Jr., as both signed notes from this emission. The emblem on the front (34mm) shows a plow in the field, with the motto: "Hinc opes" (This is our wealth). A portion of the emblem is printed in red ink. The paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "CONFEDE / RATION" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front. The nature print on the back consists of two willow leaves.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 11/1/97, lot 334.

    obv rev


    $40                 Serial Number: 171,449                  CC 01/14/79

    Signers: Jacob Masoner, Robert A. Roberts.

    Size: 69.5 x 90mm (front border design: trimmed in this example; back border design: 63 x 83mm).

    Comments: The numbering and upper signature are in red ink, with the lower signature is in a brown ink. The emblem on the front shows the rays of an all seeing eye of Providence shining down on an alter with a flame that is surrounded by thirteen stars. Below in a scroll is the motto: "CONFEDERATION". The nature print on the back is of poterium leaves. The paper contains blue fibers and mica flakes and is watermarked "CONFEDE / RATION" on two lines and oriented to be read from the front.

    .

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 1/18/97, lot 254.

    Emission continued on the next page.