North Carolina paper currency, value ten shillings

North Carolina paper currency, value ten shillings

Engraved ten-shilling note issued for North Carolina. Printed from engraved copper plate with scrolled stuccowork border on left edge and horse in a circle on lower left corner. Printed inscription (in script): “North Carolina/ X S. Ten Shillings/ Proclamation Mony [sic] According to Act of/ Assembly pass’d the 4th of April 1748.” Bill is numbered in ink in upper right corner: “894.” Partially visible signatures in ink on obverse: “Eleazer Allen,” “Saml Swann,” “Edward Moseley” and “John Starkey.” Several barely legible signatures are on the reverse. The note is printed on very thin paper folded in quarters and supported by stronger backing stock.

Although the engraving is unsigned, the printer of the 1748-issue bills is probably James Davis (1721-1785), North Carolina’s first printer. Davis arrived from Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1749 to fill the post of public printer, an office created that year by the Assembly to print a revisal of the colony’s laws. He set up his printing shop in New Bern. His first job was printing currency for the province. The revised laws were not printed until 1751.

The bill was issued in a series of 2000.

[James Davis]

Tryon Palace

Anonymous donor

Davis, James

1748, April 04

Richards, Nancy

Knight, Dean

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.”

This is part of a 54-piece gift of North Carolina paper currency issued between 1748 and 1771 from the same anonymous donor.

OH: 2 5/8” (6.7 cm); OW: 5” (12.7 cm)

eng

Money

TP.2000.017.002

North Carolina, New Bern

Money

OH: 2 5/8” (6.7 cm); OW: 5” (12.7 cm)