NC 1776 1/4 Dollar 

Title

North Carolina paper currency, Bill of Credit value one fourth of a dollar

Maker

[James Davis, printer]

Material

Laid paper, ink

Origin

North Carolina, [New Bern]

Date:

1776

Dimensions:

OH: 2 ¼” (5.6 cm); OW: 3 1/8” (7.8 cm)

Description:

Engraved Bill of Credit for one-fourth of a dollar issued by North Carolina with decorative borders on the top and sides and a hare in the lower left corner. Inscription: “NCarolina Currency/ N^o 7992/  one fourth of a dollar/ By Authority of Congress/ at Halifax April 2, 1776.” Ink signature on obverse: “D Summer.” No writing on the reverse.  

Donor:

Purchase

Relation:

Comments:

An Act dated April 2, 1776, (the beginning of the session) authorized the printing of $1,250,000 (£500,000). The bills were issued in two series: $250,000 in the first dated April 2, 1776 and $1,000,000 in the second dated

May 9, 1776. Each bill has a vignette and some contain mottoes. This design was issued in a series of 12,500 bills.  Fractional denominations are smaller than the higher denominations. Bills were signed by: Willis Alston, J. Bradford, William Haywood, G. Hill, Benjamin McCulloch, David Sumner, J. Webb, and William Williams. Some of the bills in this issue were engraved by “GL” thought to be Gabriel Lewyn, a Baltimore goldsmith. Only a few of the bills in this series have his initials.

Language:

En

Rights:

Permission to use the photograph must be obtained in writing from Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens, New Bern, North Carolina. It must be accompanied by the caption” From the collection of Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens, New Bern, North Carolina; North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archive and History.”