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Colonial Currency, New York December 10, 1737, 3 Pounds, John Peter Zenger Note!

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Colonial Currency, New York December 10, 1737, 3 Pounds, John Peter Zenger Note!
New York Currency
Printed by “John Peter Zenger” December 10, 1737 Issue Exceedingly Rare New York Colonial Currency Note
Colony of New York. December 10, 1737. Three Pounds. Printed by the historic “Freedom of the Press” newspaper publisher, John Peter Zenger. PCGS graded Fine-15.
Fr. NY-100. An important American currency rarity that certainly among the finest known. This exceedingly rare early New York colonial currency issue was printed by the famous, historic “Freedom of the Press” Trial Newspaper publisher, John Peter Zenger. It was printed in 1737 for the Colony of New York on the very press belonging to publisher John Peter Zenger. This uniface printed note is genuine, well centered and clean in appearance. Its holder states repairs, primarily for conservation to the centerfold area. Three signatures, including: Simon Johnson, James Alexander and A. DePeyster are written in brown ink and readable. Overall, very even in its appearance and its blank reverse side is free of notations. The woodblock engraved Seal of New York vignette at right is well printed, sharp and clear. This desirable, historic 1737 New York note is attractive for its grade and certainly needed in virtually all collections as less than a dozen or so examples known to exist.

John Peter Zenger (1697 - 1746) was a German born American Printer, Publisher, Editor and Journalist in New York City. Zenger printed “The New York Weekly Journal” newspaper. He was a defendant in a landmark legal case in American jurisprudence, known as “The Zenger Trial.” That historic trial determined that truth was a defense against charges of libel and “laid the foundation for American press freedom.”
John Peter Zenger (born 1697, Germany - died July 28, 1746, in New York City), was a New York Printer and Journalist whose famous acquittal in a libel suit (1735) established the first important victory for “Freedom of the Press” in the English colonies of North America.

In late 1733, Zenger began printing “The New Weekly Journal” to voice his opinions critical of the Colonial Governor, William Cosby. On Sunday, November 17, 1734, Zenger was arrested and charged with seditious libel. After more than eight months in prison, Zenger went to trial defended by illustrious Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Hamilton. The case was now a cause célèbre with public interest at fever-pitch. Rebuffed repeatedly by Chief DeLancey during the trial, attorney Hamilton decided to plead his client's case directly to the jury. After the arguments for both sides were finished, the jury was retired, only to return in ten minutes with a verdict of not guilty!