A Visit To Ben Franklin's Printing Blocks

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,680
philadelphian Pillar of the Community United States 3253 Posts	Posted 02/04/2015 7:47 pm I'm irked that I didn't know about the recent discovery of this unique example of Franklin's anti-counterfeiting innovation of the nature print transfer block until MeadowviewCollector's post, but I stopped by the Library Company of Philadelphia today (founded by Franklin in 1731, and still active) to take a peek. The place is a treasure, and well worth the visit. Franklin's idea was that, however intricate a note's plate could be engraved, it was still engraved by the hand of man, and another man's hand could copy it. God's art, however, should be beyond the counterfeiter's artifice. Two border blocks were also discovered, this from the 1760 Delaware two pound note: And the three sage leaves, looking like they were picked yesterday, rather than 255 years ago: Edited by philadelphian 02/04/2015 7:48 pm Report this Post to the Staff

duncanbishop24 Pillar of the Community United States 898 Posts	Posted 02/04/2015 11:50 pm I knew about the leaves being a counterfeiting device, but I love the pictures. Thanks for posting. Report this Post to the Staff
WheatBack Pillar of the Community United States 2850 Posts	Posted 02/05/2015 12:40 am Very cool and something I need to checkout if I ever make it to Philadelphia. Report this Post to the Staff
hajduk Pillar of the Community Germany 645 Posts	Posted 02/05/2015 12:03 pm Wow, perhaps I can see this one day. That is pretty cool. Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 188213 Posts	Posted 02/05/2015 2:55 pm This is new to me. Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
scurry64 Pillar of the Community United States 900 Posts	Posted 02/06/2015 12:12 pm I read about this in Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson, but these are the first images I've seen of his anticounterfeiting measures. Very cool to see. I must make it over to the other side of the Commonwealth to see this . . . and the mint as well. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,680

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