Continental Currency
September 27, 1785 Continental Congress Federal Indent for Four and 82/90th of a Dollar and Fully Issued Major Rarity
Continental Congress Federal Indent. Partly-Printed form per Requisition of Congress September 27, 1785. 'Four and 82/90th of a Dollar'. Signed by John Hardy. Anderson US-167. No Cancel. Choice Extremely Fine.
Anderson US-167, rated as Rarity-8 (1-3 Known). An exceedingly rare and exceptional quality Uncancelled Continental Congress Federal Indent as found listed by both Newman on page 75 of his (2008) 5th Edition THE EARLY PAPER MONEY OF AMERICA, and in Anderson on page 101 of THE PRICE OF LIBERTY, recorded in their major references. Serial No. 3682. Nicely Signed, "J(ohn) Hardy." Printed on special FINE QUALITY watermarked "AT INTEREST" laid period paper, measuring about 3" tall by 6" wide (15 cm x 7.9 cm). This typeset form with top and bottom borders, at the left an Indent with protector 'FOUR DOLLARS'. A very rare written in denomination on this rare federal Indent series. This partly-printed form for 'FOUR DOLLARS' has the inserted written change amount of 'Eighty Two' spelled into the proper location, and again in a fractional form at the lower left. A beautiful clean note with the eye appeal as originally provided in the Stack's Ford Collection Sale description graded "Choice Extremely Fine." Bright and vivid with a few light folds, a couple trivial ink specks on the blank reverse, having full large even margins providing the eye appeal of a near new note. The signature of Hardy and manuscript portions are strong on this completely solid note. Early American holds the price record for the sale of any note on this issue in our January 14, 2006 auction, Lot 2604, $2 denomination graded Choice EF bringing $12,250. This current exceptional example is perhaps the finest known of its denomination. It is of significant importance to Continental Currency and Federal Era Treasury Fiscal specialists.
This requisition of Congress was meant to help raise funds to pay the national debt after the War for Our Independence. On September 27, 1785 the US Congress assembled and the report of the grand committee being amended, "...Resolved, that for the services of the present year... it will be necessary that three millions of dollars, in addition to 649,880 dollars, hereafter provided for, be paid into the common treasury."