Revolutionary Currency

Scope and content:

There are 67 pieces of Revolutionary paper currency and one copper plate for printing a bill. They include the Continental Currency issued by the Continental Congress and also the Revolutionary War state issues. There is currency from:

1. The Continental Congress (10), 1776-1779;
2. Georgia (18), 1776-1778;
3. North Carolina (23), 1776-1780;
4. South Carolina (14), 1775-1779;
5. Virginia (2), 1777-1780.

From North Carolina there is a copper plate used for the printing of one of the $2 1/2 bills of the issue of April 2, 1776 (the bill with a vignette of a Liberty Cap over an altar). The other side of the same copper plate was used to print $5 bills of the same issue (version with vignette of a raven). Signatories include five members of the Continental Congress: William Sharpe and John Williams from N.C. and William Few, William Gibbons, and Edward Telfair from Georgia. Telfair signed the Articles of Confederation, and Few signed the Constitution.

This currency is arranged by colonies/states. Lists itemize each bill. The lists record: name of colony/state; denomination; serial letter; date; and occasional comments.

Names:

The Continental Congress

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