{"product_id":"1759-delaware-colonial-currency-twenty-shillings-printed-by-benjamin-franklin","title":"1759 DELAWARE COLONIAL CURRENCY — TWENTY SHILLINGS — PRINTED BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn Original Colonial American Currency Note — June 1, 1759\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOffered is an original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwenty Shillings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e colonial currency note issued by the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGovernment of the Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex upon Delaware\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, dated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJune 1, 1759\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis scarce colonial note is identified as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFr. DE-68\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and was printed in Philadelphia by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBenjamin Franklin and David Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The issue was authorized during the French \u0026amp; Indian War and circulated within the three Delaware counties.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe note bears the elaborate engraved ornamentation characteristic of Franklin's colonial currency work, including the distinctive \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003elion vignette\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and the famous warning:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“TO COUNTERFEIT IS DEATH.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse incorporates the natural-history “nature print” security device used on this series. The original issue was signed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam Armstrong, John Barns, and David Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFranklin's involvement is particularly significant. This is genuine colonial paper money \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eprinted by Benjamin Franklin's press\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, making it an appealing piece of early American printing, financial and monetary history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe note dates to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e17 years before the Declaration of Independence\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, when the American colonies were still subjects of King George II.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIdentification:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Delaware Colonial Currency, Fr. DE-68\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Twenty Shillings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e June 1, 1759\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIssuing Authority:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Government of New Castle, Kent \u0026amp; Sussex upon Delaware\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrinters:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Benjamin Franklin \u0026amp; David Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigners:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e William Armstrong, John Barns \u0026amp; David Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e French \u0026amp; Indian War\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Good\/Very Good Details; substantial age-related wear, soiling, horizontal splitting\/separation, edge loss and faded manuscript signatures. The note remains identifiable with substantial original printed material present.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eImportant:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e This is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003enot a Benjamin Franklin autograph\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Franklin was the printer of the issue; the authorized signatures were those of Armstrong, Barns and Hall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA fascinating and genuinely early piece of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmerican colonial currency\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, especially suitable for collectors of Benjamin Franklin material, colonial currency, Delaware history, early American printing, and French \u0026amp; Indian War-era Americana.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52708336075034,"sku":null,"price":825.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2230_0b72bfb2-af31-45f0-9d9f-4e068c91bb28.jpg?v=1786999528","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/en-ca\/products\/1759-delaware-colonial-currency-twenty-shillings-printed-by-benjamin-franklin","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}