South Carolina Currency
February 8, 1779
An emission of $1,000,000 in bills of credit in legal tender lawful money. The bills were sumptuously engraved by Thomas Coram in Charleston. Coram signed the $50, $70 and $90 notes (unfortunately the signature has been cut off the $50 and $90 examples below but is on the $70 example). There are different vignettes and mottos on the front of each denomination while the reverse has an elaborate scene, some from classical antiquity. The legal tender status of this and all earlier issues was revoked in the act of February 6, 1782. Denominated in dollars (Spanish milled dollars) as well as in South Carolina pounds. Denominations issued were: $40 (£65), $50 (£81 5s), $60 (£97 10s), $70 (£113 15s), $80 (£130), $90 (£146 5s) and $100 (£162 10s).obv
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$50 Serial Number: 1265 SC 02/08/79
Signers: John Hopton, George Cooke, John Smyth.
Size: 70 x 118mm (obverse border design, 70 x 118mm).
Comments: The front of the bill depicts Providence pointing to a globe of the earth; the motto reads: "PROVIDENTIA NOSTRIS PRAESIDEAT" (Let foresight guide our people). The back depicts Atlas holding a boulder. The front of the bill is perfectly centered, but the imposition of the reverse on our example is off center: there is a large margin at the top but the signature of Coram and the pound equivalency have been cut off at the bottom.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr, Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 12/2/95, lot 536.
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$60 Serial Number: 3962 SC 02/08/79
Signers: Charles Atkins, John Smyth, John Scott.
Size: 71 x 120mm (obverse border design, 70 x 120mm).
Comments: The front of the bill contains a seated classical figure (possibly Cerces) with a cornucopia; the motto reads: "MUTUA DEFENSIO TUTISSIMAM" (Mutual defense is safest). On the back is a collage with a lyre, two crossed brass horns and two crossed flags.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr, Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 12/2/95, lot 537.
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$70 Serial Number: 9243 SC 02/08/79
Signers: Charles Atkinson, George Cooke, John Scott.
Size: 72 x 121mm (obverse border design, 71 x 121mm; reverse design 65 x 108mm).
Comments: The front of the bill contains a personification of Hope leaning against an anchor; the motto reads: "SPES MENTIS SOLATIO ." (Hope is the solace of the mind). The back shows the bound Prometheus attacked by a vulture and is signed by the engraver Thomas Coram. For a detail of the T. Coram signature click here. There is a modern annotation in black ink in the upper left corner "XX.332.71" and a rust stain from a paper clip at the area of the engraved signature.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr, Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 1/17/98, lot 412. Previously this item was lot 550 in the Altman-Haffner Sale conducted by the Pine Tree Auction Company, April 29-30, 1975 in New York City.
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$80 Serial Number: 2047 SC 02/08/79
Signers: James Bentham, Sims White, Philip Prioleau.
Size: 73 x 120mm (obverse border design, 72 x 120mm; reverse border design 63 x 115mm).
Comments: The front of the bill depicts a man in classical dress holding a sword over a flaming altar; the motto reads: "Constantia durissima vincit" (The firmest constancy will conquer). On the back is a collage with a shield, a liberty cap, brass horns, arrows, palm leaves and olive branches. Also on the back are notations in pen: "1389: n...6" and a partly cut off sum of numbers: 13- + 9- = 22- (the 77 or 79 is added) with 299 at the bottom
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr, Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 12/2/95, lot 538.
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$90 Serial Number: 7,018 SC 02/08/79
Signers: George Cooke, Charles Atkins, John Smyth.
Size: 73 x 120mm (obverse border design, 71 x 119mm; reverse border design horizontal: 116mm, vertical dimensions trimmed in this example).
Comments: The front of the bill depicts a warrior in classical armor holding a spear. The motto reads "Armis concurrite campo." (With arms we run together into the field of battle). The reverse is off center, so that the top has been cropped. On the back is Hercules wrestling the Nemean Lion. In the scroll below the D in DOLLARS in small letters is "No. II". Although Newman states the reverse of this denomination is signed, the signature appears to be cropped off this example.
Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr, Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 11/16/96, lot 735.
