New Hampshire Currency
April 29, 1780
An emission of $145,000 in legal tender bills of credit payable in Spanish milled dollars by December 31, 1786 with 5% interest. This issue was authorized pursuant to the Continental Congress Resolution of March 18, 1780. The front was printed in black with border cuts by Henry Dawkins. The back was printed in black and red with border cuts and emblems from the Continental Currency issue of January 14, 1779. The cuts surrounding the emblem are by Dawkins. Printed by Hall and Sellers in Philadelphia using paper watermarked "Confederation." Usually hole canceled upon redemption. Numbered in red ink. There are three signatures on the obverse and a guaranty signature on the reverse. Denominations issued were: $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $7, $8 and $20.obv
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$4 Serial Number: 2824 NH 04/29/80
Signers: Joseph Pearson (in red ink), E. Robinson; guaranty signature on back: John Taylor Gilman (in red ink).
Size: 71 x 91.5mm (front border design: 70 x 88.5mm; back border design: 68.5 x 89.5mm).
Comments: Numbered and signed in red ink, except second signature on front which is in black ink. Hole cancelled. Text missing from front read: "of this BILL / DOLLARS / One Thousand Seven / Interest in like MONEY / per Annum, by the / according to an Act of". Text missing from back read: "VITA DECORA". Back bears an emblem from the Continental Currency issue of January 14, 1779 of a wild boar charging into a spear; the surrounding motto reads: "Aut mors aut vita decora" (Either death or an honorable life). Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes with a watermark which reads: "CONFEDE / RATION" on two lines, oriented so that it reads from the front.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/13/96 lot 385. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
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$5 Serial Number: 2741 (in red ink) NH 04/29/80
Signers: Joseph Pearson (in red ink), E. Robinson, James McClure (in red ink, faded); guaranty signature on back: John Taylor Gilman (in red ink).
Size: 72 x 92mm (front border design: 70 x 89mm; back border design: vertical dimension trimmed off at top, horizontal dimension = 69mm).
Comments: Numbered and signed in red ink, except second signature on front which is in black ink. Hole cancelled. Text missing from front read: "milled DOLLARS / One Thousand Seven / Interest in like Money / Annum, by the State of / an Act of the Legislature / Twenty-ninth Day of April,". Text missing from back read: "ABSTINE". Back bears an emblem from the Continental Currency issue of January 14, 1779 of a hand in a thorn bush bleeding from pricks with the motto: "Sustine vel abstine" (With perseverance or with acquiesence). Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes with a watermark which reads: "CONFEDE / RATION" on two lines, oriented so that it reads from the front.
Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/13/96 lot 386. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.
