The Morning herald., 1876-04-12
LOCAL NEWS.
OUR FIRST RAG HONEY.

OCxI TlADx Aho 4HVN ~
n collector. of early Money In Ne,c Cas-.
tle-AM Old Dela.Oare Note and ,rhat 1t
looks like-7he Promises Of Redemption
IN the days of oar Foretathers.
In q room filled with relics of the past,
representative of The HERALD stood yes
terday, at the residence of Mr.. J. Henry
Rogers in New Castle, and saw much that
gave an idea of the earlier days of the
Republic. That which most particularly
interested the observer was the character of
the money used at the inception and just
previous to the American Independence. 1t
was curious looking group of paper, SO
harsh ]y printed upon that it at once excited
curiosity, and upon close inspection re-
vealed to the observer that he was looking
upon the rag-money of q century ago, a
currency, which though in the hands Of a
people unused to self governing laws, or
the intricaces of treasury departments,
was solidly backed by gold and silver
security.
The first of these notes examined was
issued III Philadelphia in seventeen hundred
| and sixty-nine, and called for the large
amount Of two shillings, for the benefit Of
the poor, and made redeemable in silver
It bears the coat of arms of William Penn,
and upon the back in large letters are the
| words, 'sIt is death to counterfeit" Judg-
| ing BY the simple design of the note and
this terrible warning to violators of the
law, there must have been poorer set Of
eounterfeiters in the country at that time
than there is now, for with an ordinary
penknife and the least amount OF ingenu-
itv, counterfeiter Of the present day,
could In half an hour make plate that
would food the country with this currency
In that day each State was empowered by
an act of Assembly to issue State curren-
cy, but to give an equal value in gold or
silver for its redemption. Each State, be-
sides giving its coat -of-arms, had ome other
mark by which to distinguish the identity OF
the note. New Jersey backed its notes
with leaf of tobacco, Georgia, the beehive,
and Delaware sheaf of wheat. These
marks were intended to convey to the mind
of the holder, at first glance, the State
from which it was issued.
The oldest piece of money in Mr.. Rogers
collection, issued from the State of Della
ware. bears the date of l777, and is believed
1
cy of Delaware at that day now in existence.
It is for nine pence, and the bill, which
looks more like valueless piece Of crum-
pied paper, than money, reads as follows
sThis indented bill shall pass current for
nine pence within the Delaware State, &C
cording to an act of General Assembly of
the said State, made in the year of our
Lord, one thousand seven hundred and
seventy six, dated the first day of May,
1777, and signed by R. Lockwood"
twas printed by James Adams, VII
mington printer at that time, and also
bears the warning of death to any who
shall counterfeit It. There is no promise
of redemption, which leads one to the ir-
resistible inference that the credit of the
State at that time, was SO very good, that
such promise was unnecessary, or that the
amount was so small that whoever hap
pened to hold one would not bother with
having it redeemed.
Bv the side of this Delaware note Is one
of more importance, both In dimensions OF
paper and denomination. It is for four
dollars, dated Philadelphia, ITS, and judg-
ing by the promises made upon its face was
AZ safe an investment as are gold bearing
bonds of the present day.
Il states that the holder is entitled to
receive four Spanish mill dollars or the
value in gold and silver. There is really in
this an Improvement In design over the
others, and at that time must have been
considered as neat and tasty as the crisp
greenbacks of this day, and for that reason
all the more proof against counterfeiting
than if constructed as simply as that made
to represent Delaware State currency.
But in all the group, New Jersey has the
uueerest specimen of ancient money 1t is
even inferior to that specimen which stands
alone in the group to represent Delaware
in 1777. 1t calls for one shilling, and was
issued in the year 1903. At this time we
suppose it would have been safe to have ap-
piled to New Jersey as a reality, what is
now facetiously applied to It: "That it is
outside of the United States" 1t reads as
follows "This bill by law shall pass cur
rent in New Jersey, for two penny weight
and tw enty-two grains Of solid silver plate.
Dated December 3lst, 1903, and bears the
English Coat of Arms. The Lion and the
Unicorn which have their heads upon the
picture so closely bent together, and indi.
eating butting propensity, that the follow
ing lines are easily suggested to the OBJ
server:
The lion and the unicorn, fighting for the
Il crown,
Up jumps the lion and knocks the unicorn
down.
/ This bill is as original in the promises il
makes as the manner in which it is designed
and is considered by Mr.. Rogers as the
most valuabl6'of his collection, for he be-
lieves it to be the oldest American note il
the world.
Another note of old date which he has
in his possession is for one-ninth ofa dol
lar, aNl was issued from the state Of Mary
land on the first day of March 177O. AL
though of small denomination, it makes
the holder secure by very solemn promise
which is, that the bearer is entitled to re
ceive bills of exchange, payable in London
of troId and silver navahln at the rate o.