Fenian Bonds

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Mac
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Fenian Bonds

Post by Mac »

These aren't banknotes. But they look like notes, so we collect them!
A nice piece of Irish-American history.

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Mac
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Mac »

Here's one I haven't seen in a loooooong time!
they turn up occasionally, usually vastly overpriced, and don't sell thus.

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Fenian Bond 100 Dollars.
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Jenny007
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Jenny007 »

Would welcome any good sites or material to further research these notes - thanks
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Mac
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Mac »

There aren't any web sources of information on the Fenian Bonds that I know of. I plan to do a thread on them when I get the chance.
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Re: Fenian Bonds

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5 Dollar Fenian bond.
They are pretty, but not my thing. I prefer the Irish bank notes.
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by ThePloughman »

2 kinds of Fenian 50 Dollar bond.
Are the square ones later or earlier issues?
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Fenian 50 Whytes05y17.jpg
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DOC
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Yes, there are two different issues. The O'Mahony bonds were issued by one wing of the Fenians for 'The Irish Republic' while the Scanlon bonds were issued by another wing of the Party for 'The Republic of Ireland'. Most of the notes fall within the date range 1865-1867. Here is an example of a $5 bond with the O'Mahony signature. No $5 bonds have been observed for the Scanlon issue.
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Fenian Bond 5 Dollars 17th March 1866 O'Mahony.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by ThePloughman »

10 Dollar bill with reverse.
These sure were nice designs.
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Mac »

As far as I recall, the 10, 20 and 50 of this design had a similar reverse.
These bonds were very like US banknotes of the era.
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Those bonds were attractively designed. Here is an example of an O'Mahony Issue $10. Curiously, this bond is uniface unlike the Scanlon $10.
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Fenian Bond 10 Dollars 14th April 1866 O'Mahony.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Here is an example of an O'Mahony Issue $20.
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Fenian Bond 20 Dollars 10th March 1866 O'Mahony.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Here is an example of a proof $50 Fenian Bond printed in the early 1860’s. This design is that of the O’Mahony Issue although his name is missing. It is interesting to see the names of Tone and Fitzgerald in pencil in the bottom margin.
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Fenian Bond 50 Dollars O'Mahony Issue Proof ca.1862.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Here is an example of an issued $50 Scanlon, Fenian Bond. Issued examples of the higher denominations are rare.
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Fenian Bond 50  Dollars Issued 15th May 1866 Scanlon.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

High denomination Fenian Bonds are rare, particularly in issued form. Here are examples of the $100 O’Mahony Bond, in proof and issued form. The portraits feature Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmet.
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Fenian Bond 100 Dollars Proof ca.1864 O'Mahony.jpg
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Fenian Bond 100 Dollars 20th Feb. 1866 O'Mahony.jpg
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Jenny007 »

I have not seen too many of these fenian bonds either
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

Yes, that is a rare type of certificate, particularly in issued form. It has been proposed that these certificates were issued for sums less than $10 by one or more branches of the Fenian Brotherhood (PMI). They were printed by The Continental Bank of New York.

Interestingly, I came across a Kansas Military Scrip issued by this Bank for $5 in 1867 which has an almost identical vignette, top left. The notice on the sign in the background of the Irish National Bond is modified to say; ‘Proclamation Irish Republic’.
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Irish National Bond Certificate Proof ca.1866.jpg
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Kansas Military Scrip 5 Dollars 1st June 1867.jpg
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Jenny007
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by Jenny007 »

Thanks for sharing this ... a few additional items related to fundraising in the US
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ThePloughman
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by ThePloughman »

Nice finds people!
Jenny007 wrote: 29 Aug 2020 20:28 I have not seen too many of these fenian bonds either
I've not seen this one before. I notice the script used for 'Irish National bonds' is the same as that used for 'Irish Republic' on the 100 bill above.

Also interesting to see the printer reusing the vignette engraving from the Military Scrip 5 Dollars—I guess they figured that no one would ever notice!
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Re: Fenian Bonds

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Jenny007 wrote: 30 Aug 2020 16:50 Thanks for sharing this ... a few additional items related to fundraising in the US
Thanks, interesting items which I have not seen before. The Five Dollar Irish Parliamentary Fund receipt is most likely related to fund-raising for Parnell’s Irish Parliamentary Party.
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Re: Fenian Bonds

Post by DOC »

ThePloughman wrote: 31 Aug 2020 02:27 Nice finds people!
Jenny007 wrote: 29 Aug 2020 20:28 I have not seen too many of these fenian bonds either
I've not seen this one before. I notice the script used for 'Irish National bonds' is the same as that used for 'Irish Republic' on the 100 bill above.

Yes, good point about the script. It suggests that The Irish National Bonds were issued by the O'Mahony Branch of The Fenians. Reference to the 'Irish Republic' in the vignette also supports this proposal.
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