New York Currency
January 6, 1776
An emission of £2,750 in promissory notes issued by the City of New York, known as the third of four "Water Works" issues. The numeral 3 over the initial T on the face of the notes indicates this was the third issue. The series is known as the Water Works issues because the back of each note has an engraving of a steam powered water pump proposed by the engineer Christopher Colles. The front of the bills has an engraved top border cut while the other three borders are typeset. The plates for these designs were engraved by Elisha Gallaudet, who also cut the borders and devices for the Continental Congress "fugio" denominations of February 17, 1776 and cut the dies for the so called "1776 Continental Congress Dollar." The Water Works emission was printed by Hugh Gaine in New York City with red and black inks on the face and black ink on the back. A coarse dark paper was used on the back of all denominations in this issue. Signed and numbered in brown and black inks. Denominations issued were: 2s, 4s and 8s.obv
rev
4s Serial Number: 451 NYC 01/06/76
Signers: N. Bayard, John H. Cruger.
Size: 56 x 94 mm (front border design: 55 x 91mm; back border design: 52 x 90mm).
Comments:Numbering and signatures in light brown. The second signature is quite faded.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 11/16/96 Lot 641. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
