102

Colonial Currency Maryland July 26, 1775 $1 Allegorical-Gunpowder Political Note

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:6,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Colonial Currency Maryland July 26, 1775 $1 Allegorical-Gunpowder Political Note
Maryland Currency
1775 “Allegorical-Gunpowder” Political Propaganda Issue Political Woodblock Vignette Note By Thomas Sparrow
Provincial Convention of Maryland. July 26, 1775. One Dollar. “Allegorical - Gunpowder” Propaganda and Political Revolutionary War Issue. PCGS graded Very Fine-20.
Fr. MD-72. This 1775 Revolutionary War Maryland paper money rarity is a true historical American Political issue. A true classic, with an extremely historic American Patriotical theme as a Propaganda note. This type is shown in the Newman plate note for this issue, illustrated on page 174 of the 5th Edition of THE EARLY PAPER MONEY OF AMERICA.

The Allegorical vignettes displayed are unique in their design on Colonial Currency. The vignette at the upper half on its face side displays a hand-engraved woodblock vignette which has a “Folk Art” style appearance. It shows King George III setting fire to an American city with a torch, while symbolically trampling upon the Magna Charta. The border cut includes the text, "An appeal to HEAVEN" while the left cut reads, "Pro Aris et Focis," which translates "for altars and the hearth." The back is entirely given over to a vignette of Peace and Liberty. The face side is particularly clean, sharp and well printed. The designs being properly centered upon the handmade cotton laid period paper. There are some deft sealed splits and light conservation for which the holder states restorations, serial number altered. The paper is clean with a pleasing even circulated appearance, nicely signed in brown ink by Thomas B Hodgkin. The reverse is certainly nicer in quality than average. Its details and designs from the woodcut printing block well centered within four full margins. An excellent example of this famous historical note for display.

Previously, a Four Dollar denomination of this rare Maryland currency issue sold in May of 2004 for over $16,000 in the Stack’s, John J. Ford Jr. Collection Auction, Part III. The current Newman reference lists it at an aggressive value of $25,000 in Very Fine. It is only the second example of the One Dollar denomination we have had the pleasure to offer over the past four decades. This July 26, 1775 Maryland “Allegorical-Gunpowder” issue note is considered to be one of the most prized, historically important and desirable of all Colonial and Revolutionary War notes.
Eric Newman states in his reference “The Early Paper Money of America,” that this specific issue was brought about pursuant to a resolve of the Maryland Convention to promote the manufacture of gunpowder.

The face displays a propaganda-filled woodcut, engraved by Thomas Sparrow, which depicts Britannia receiving a petition of the Continental Congress, “CONG PETI” from a female figure representing America.

America is trampling on a scroll marked SLAVERY and is holding a Liberty Cap in front of American troops carrying the flag of Liberty, LIB; and on the left, George III is trampling on the M(agna) CHARTA and applying a fire brand to an American city which is under attack by a British fleet.

The side border cuts carry AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN and PRO ARIS ET FOCIS (For altar and hearth). On the back side, the figures of America and Britannia are shown achieving peace, PAX TRIUMPHIS POTIOR (Peace is preferable to victory), LIBERTY, T. SPARROW and FG (Frederick Green, the printer).