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1786 Post Rev. War Era, Rhode Island, Land Office Related Fiscal Mortgage Bond

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:600.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,200.00 USD
1786 Post Rev. War Era, Rhode Island, Land Office Related Fiscal Mortgage Bond
Rhode Island Currency
1786 Rhode Island Land Bank Related Mortgage Bond
June 10, 1786-Dated. Partly-Printed Document, being a Land Office Related Fiscal Bond to the State of Rhode Island Treasury Office. Completed in the hand of and Signed Three Times in the text by “Joseph Clarke,” as Treasurer, Providence, Rhode Island, Choice Very Fine.
Rare 1786 Rhode Island Land Bank Related Mortgage Bond. According to the Journal of Economic History, Land Banks were established in most of the American colonies during the first half of the eighteenth century. Only two privately owned Land Banks were established, both being short lived. The Banks that actually functioned were public institutions, created and operated by the various Colonial governments. Their chief function consisted of lending out provincial Paper Money to citizens on the security of their land, farms, town houses, or other forms of real estate. Their primary purpose was everywhere the same, to provide a paper currency which, it was thought, would promote trade and industry and add to the general well-being and prosperity of the colonies.

This original Document is dated 1786 in print, at Providence, Rhode Island, an extremely rare example of this official Rhode Island Mortgage Bond Yearly Payment Form. John Atwood has signed this Bond to the State of Rhode Island for Ten shillings and Five pence, also Signed boldly at bottom by Samuel Marcy, John Harris, John Atwood. It measures 6” x 7” being extremely clean and fresh in appearance. Light folds, well printed and boldly written in deep brown with a small red wax and paper seal at lower right, all on quality laid period paper. It reads, in part: “The condition of the above Obilgation is such, That if the said John Atwood, his Heirs, Executers or Administrators, shall pay unto the said Joseph Clarke, or his Successor in said Office, the Sum of Ten shillings and Five pence in Lawful Money Bills of said State, or in Silver or Gold equivalent, as aforesaid, at or before the twentieth Day of June A.D. 1791 - then this Obilgation shall be void, and said Sum shall discharge One Year’s Interest of the principal Sum of a Mortgage, bearing equal Date herewith; but upon Failure shall be in full Force.”

The payment is apparently in addition against another existing Land Office Bond with the repayment, interest and principle mentioned as attached to that Bond. This particular official Rhode Island Treasury payment form is extremely rare. Docket on the blank reverse reads: “John Atwood - 5 Interest Bond” with calculations below. It is the first of this type Rhode Island Mortgage Bond form we have offered, having seen just only one other for 1792 offered at significantly more than our modest estimate.