Currency

Object/Artifact

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Currency

Entry/Object ID

VC.2005.85

Description

A $5 Continental currency bill: front side has four cut borders; within a cut bordered emblem is a bloody hand in a thorn bush with motto "SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE"*; text is as follows-- "FIVE DOLLARS / This bill entitles the Bearer to receive FIVE Spanish milled DOLLARS, or the Value thereof, in Gold or Silver, according to a Resolution of CONGRESS, passed at Philadelphia, September 26th, 1778."; Serial number is "180101"(red ink); first signature is "--hieth" and the second is J (or R?) Mullan; on back within a floral border cut is a nature print of leaves and text "Printed by Hall & Sellers 1778". *(Note: In B. Franklin "WRITINGS" ed. by J.A. Leo Lemay 1987 Franklin explains:"...we have a thorny bush, which a hand seems attempting to eradicate. The hand appears to bleed, as pricked by spines. The motto is, SUSTINE VEL ABSTINE; which may be redered, Bear with me, or let me alone; or thus, Either support or leave me. The bush I suppose to mean America, the bleeding hand Britian. 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 an hedge around it, annoying with her thorns only its invading enemies."

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Hall & Sellers

Notes

Dates: September 26, 1778 Date made: Septembr 26, 1778

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

2-7/8 in

Width

3-11/16 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 2 7/8 x 3 11/16 in. (7.3 x 9.3 cm)

Material

Paper (laid), ink, mica flakes, blue threads.

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Paper is chipped, dog-eared, with vertical center crease; Printing is clear but missing in small areas along bottom border; Discoloration by foxing & soiling and by a brown spot on back side.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

J. (or R.) Mullan

Notes

Signer

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Currency Collection from envelope found in Bellwood library closet by Catalina Hannan about 2002-2003. Front of envelope is labled "Revolutionary Currency (underlined) / Van Cortlandt". In the upper left corner is the return address for "Sleepy Hollow Restorations / on the Tappan Zee Tarrytown, New York".

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Union Church, Storage, Shelf 14A

Note Type

Department

Note

Curatorial