Continental Currency: 11/29/1775

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An emission totaling $3,000,000 payable in Spanish milled dollars, or the equivalent in gold or silver, was authorized by the Continental Congress resolutions of November 29, 1775, with a supplemental $10,000 added on January 6, 1776 for the replacement of worn-out bills. Similar to the previous issue as to paper, printing, and signatures but these bills were numbered in bright red ink, and detector bills were on blue paper. Denominations printed were the $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, and $8.

One Dollar

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

The numbering and first signature are in red ink; the second signature is in black ink. The emblem on the front shows an acanthus plant with a large weighted pot or basket pressing it down; however, the acanthus leaves grow up around the pot. Above is the motto: "DEPRESSA RESURGIT" (Having been pressed down, it rises up again). The nature print on the back has a ragweed leaf and two willow leaves. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 11/16/96 lot 458. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.

Two Dollars

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

The Numbering and first signature in red ink; second signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front shows grain being threshed with a flail with the motto: "Tribulatio ditat" (It is enriched by affliction). The nature print on the back is of raspberry and two filbert leaves; it is identical to a nature print used on earlier Pennsylvania currency. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 11/16/96 lot 459. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.

Five Dollars

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

Signed and numbered in brown ink. This is the most difficult emblem in the series to understand. Benjamin Franklin explained the Continental Currency emblems in a letter published under the pseudonym of Clericus in the Pennsylvania Gazette of September 20, 1775. For the five-dollar emblem, he explained:

...we have a thorny bush, which a hand seems to be attempting to eradicate. The hand appears to bleed, as pricked by spines. The motto is, SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE; which may be rendered, Bear with me, or let me alone; or thus, Either support or leave me. The bush I suppose to mean America, the bleeding hand Britain. Would to God that bleeding were stopt, the wounds of that hand healed, and its future operations directed by wisdom and equity; so shall the hawthorn flourish, and form a hedge around it, annoying with her thorns only its invading enemies. [B. Franklin, Writings, ed. by J.A. Leo Lemay, 1987, pp. 734-738 on p. 735.]

The nature print on the back is of betony and sage and is identical to the nature print used on earlier Pennsylvania currency. Paper contains blue threads and mica flakes. The back of our example has been reinforced with small bits of glued paper.

Provenance: From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.

Six Dollars

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

Comments: Numbering and second signature in red ink; first signature in black ink. The emblem on the front shows a beaver gnawing down a tree with the motto: "Perseverando" (By persevering). The nature print on the back is of a buttercup. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

Provenance: EANA mail bid auction 1/13/96 lot 277. Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment.

Seven Dollars

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

The numbering and second signature are in red ink; the first signature is in black ink. The emblem on the front shows a storm at sea with the motto: "Serenabit" (It will clear up). The nature print on the back is of a buttercup. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

Provenance: From the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Collection.

Eight Dollars

Image Courtesy of Louis Jordan

The numbering and first signature are in red ink; the second signature in brown ink. The emblem on the front (39mm) shows a harp with thirteen strings with the motto: "Majora minoribus consonant" (The larger are in harmony with the smaller). The nature print on the back is of a henebit leaf and two buttercup leaves. It is identical to a nature print used on earlier Pennsylvania currency. The paper contains blue threads and mica flakes.

Provenance: Purchased through the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment from the collection of William Warne of Harvey Cedars, NJ on 5/1/98.