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Fenian Bonds

Posted: 29 Jan 2015 14:28
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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Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 16 Feb 2016 17:33
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 13 Aug 2017 16:19
by Jenny007
Would welcome any good sites or material to further research these notes - thanks

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 14 Aug 2017 21:05
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 01 Oct 2017 21:22
by ThePloughman
5 Dollar Fenian bond.
They are pretty, but not my thing. I prefer the Irish bank notes.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 09 May 2019 17:48
by ThePloughman
2 kinds of Fenian 50 Dollar bond.
Are the square ones later or earlier issues?

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 09 May 2019 22:33
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 11 Jun 2019 00:51
by ThePloughman
10 Dollar bill with reverse.
These sure were nice designs.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 11 Jun 2019 14:53
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 11 Jun 2019 19:47
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 25 Jun 2019 20:14
by DOC
Here is an example of an O'Mahony Issue $20.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 11 Jan 2020 12:10
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 28 Jun 2020 11:27
by DOC
Here is an example of an issued $50 Scanlon, Fenian Bond. Issued examples of the higher denominations are rare.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 29 Aug 2020 11:23
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 29 Aug 2020 20:28
by Jenny007
I have not seen too many of these fenian bonds either

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 30 Aug 2020 14:45
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’.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 30 Aug 2020 16:50
by Jenny007
Thanks for sharing this ... a few additional items related to fundraising in the US

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 31 Aug 2020 02:27
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!

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 05 Sep 2020 16:42
by DOC
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.

Re: Fenian Bonds

Posted: 05 Sep 2020 16:48
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.