New York: March 25, 1755
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    New York Currency

    March 25, 1755

    An emission of £45,000 in legal tender Bills of Credit to be redeemed by November of 1761. This was the fourth of eleven emissions authorized between May 10, 1746 and April 21, 1760 to assist with military related expenses. The March 25th emission was specifically issued to finance the first expedition to Crown Point. All of these emission were printed by James Parker in New York. The basic style of the emissions are the same but each has some unique features. From Parker's first emission on May 10, 1746 through the emission of May 12,1755 he alternated the city seal from one emission to the next, first on the left side then on the right side, then back to the left. The March 25, 1755 emission has the arms of the city of New York on the right with the serial number horizontal between the seal and the far right column border. The abbreviation NUMB. is first used on this issue and later found on all issues from Feb. 26, 1756 - April 21, 1760. The top border cut were the same ones that had been used for the December 10, 1737 emission. Each note had three signers. Newman relates that Patrick O'Sullivan was hanged for counterfeiting notes from this emission. Denominations issued in this emission were: 10s, 20s, £2, £3, £5 and £10.

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    £2                   Serial Number: 694                  NY 03/25/55

    Signers: faded [John Livingston]

    Size: 55 x 101mm (border dimensions: 54 x 100mm; the back is blank)

    Comments: Numbered in light brown ink. The signatures are quite faded but are three of the four possible signers, Oliver DeLancey, Isaac DePeyster, Nicholas Gouverneur and John Livingston. In the text of the bill there is a picture of two one pound weights, for two pounds. The seal of the City of New York appears to the right on the front. Below the seal is a warning against counterfeiting. This warning was first included on the May 10, 1746 emission and from that emission to the emission of May 12, 1755 the apostrophe was missing from the word "Its." The back is made of a coarse brown paper with a handwritten signature of A. Sherman. Click here to view the annotated back.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 10/10/98, lot 334, graded fine.