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  • Delaware Index

    Delaware Currency


    March 1, 1758

    An emission of £4,000 in bills of credit for public expenses. Printed by Benjamin Franklin and David Hall in Philadelphia. The front of the bills contain the English arms with top and bottom border cuts and typeset design in the right and left margins. The reverse of the four lower denominations are blank while the four higher denominations have animal cuts above and nature prints below. On earlier issues the reverse nature prints consisted of a blackberry leaf on the 5s, assorted leaves on the 10s, a sage leaf on the 15s and parsley on the 20s notes. In this an the following issue a maple leaf was used on the 10s note and the assorted leaves were used on the 20s denomination. Denominations printed were: 1s, 18d, 2s, 2s6d, 5s, 10s, 15s and 20s.


    obv rev


    20s               Serial Number: 47,666                  DE 03/01/58

    Signers: David Hall, William Armstrong, Thomas Clark, (all in red)

    Size: 90 x 76mm.

    Comments: Numbered and signed in brown inks. On the front in the top left border is the number 20 printed sideways (the bottom of the 2 is faded in this example). On the front is the English arms, beside it there are four crowns keyed to denomination. The back contains a print of a lion and a nature print of assorted leaves. Printed by Benjamin Franklin and David Hall.

    Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the EANA mail bid auction of 04/03/99 lot 308, where it was graded choice very fine.