Name/Title
1775 Two dollar currencyEntry/Object ID
2024.08.27.01Context
"When the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1775, it authorized the issue of bills of credit to the value of two million Spanish milled dollars as a way of funding the Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress granted a charter to create the Bank of North America in Philadelphia to issue the notes. Paul Revere of Boston engraved the plates for the first of these bills, which were known as Continental Currency. As had been the case in the days of Colonial Scrip, each of the colonies printed its own notes, some denominated in pounds, shillings, and pence, and others in dollars. Over the course of the Revolutionary War, additional issues of bills of credit were made, leading to widespread inflation. By the war’s conclusion in 1781, the exchange value of Continental notes had fallen to one-hundredth of their nominal value and would later fall to 1000 to 1. In spite of giving rise to the phrase ‘not worth a Continental’—meaning utterly worthless—Continental Currency was of great value in financing the Revolutionary War."
Source: Harvard University, https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/american-currency/feature/continental-currencyCollection
Bank notesBanknote Details
Obverse
Transcription
The United Colonies
Two Dollars. No. [14]376
This bill entitles the bearer to receive TWO SPANISH MILLED DOLLARS, or the value thereof in gold or silver, according to resolution of Congress, passed at Philadelphia November 29, 1775.
B. FullerReverse
Transcription
Two Dollars.
Printed by Hall and Sellers, 1775.Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Money, PaperNomenclature Primary Object Term
MoneyNomenclature Class
Exchange MediaNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsGetty AAT
Concept
money (objects), paper moneyLOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
CurrencyDimensions
Height
3-3/4 inWidth
2-7/8 inLocation
Location
Container
Display Case 104Room
Charles Whipple Greene Historical CollectionBuilding
George Hail Free LibraryDate
May 20, 2025Notes
Item is located in "FRAME 1"Location
Box
Box 11Room
Director's OfficeBuilding
George Hail Free LibraryDate
August 27, 2024Provenance
Notes
Based on card found in Historical Card Catalog, this item may have been gifted by William Baker.Exhibition
Warren During the Revolutionary WarCreate Date
August 27, 2024Update Date
July 17, 2025
