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1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 18 May 2017 17:42
by Mac
1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN
Printed signature of Eamon de Valera (spelt phonetically in Irish as “de Bhailéara”).
These bonds were issued to raise funds for Dáil Éireann during the Irish War of Independence.

Specimens of the bonds are unusual.

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De Valera bond. Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars.

Éamon de Valera, the president of the first Dáil, made a tour to the US in 1919. Whilst on this tour, over five million dollars was raised through the sale of these republican bonds.

However, he found himself on the losing side of the Irish Civil War which followed immediately after the end of the War of Independence in 1921, and a dispute arose regarding ownership of the money raised from the republican bonds in the US.
De Valera claimed the funds on behalf of his party. The government of the Irish Free State, under President William T. Cosgrave, also claimed the funds. The Irish High Court gave half the funds to the Irish government, and the other half of the funds remained on deposit in New York. In 1927, the New York Supreme Court ordered that the balance of the funds be returned to the original subscribers.

Several nice examples of these bonds have turned up in auction lately in Whytes, and other auction houses.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 20 May 2017 22:00
by DOC
Interesting background to the issue of these bonds. Several denominations were issued, some of which are seldom seen. Here is an example of an issued $25 bond.

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Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 21 May 2017 03:26
by ThePloughman
What are the other denominations of this series?
I've seen pictures of the Fenian bonds up to 500 dollars.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 May 2017 00:03
by DOC
I have seen reference to the following denominations: $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000, $5000 and $10,000.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 May 2017 03:04
by ThePloughman
I wonder how many 10.000s they sold!

Have you any images of some of the higher denominations?

found a 50 by google:

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 May 2017 11:41
by gaelicyoda
A couple of $100 dollar bonds were up in Whyte's in spring of last year...

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Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 May 2017 12:13
by gaelicyoda
... and here's one for you - anyone ever come across a $30 bond before?

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According to this, it looks like there was at least one further issuance after the original Jan. 21st 1920 issue - notice the issue date and the "Second External Loan" tag.

The War of Independence with Britain ended in a truce in July, 1921 so it's interesting that this issue would have taken place as the negotiations of the Anglo-Irish agreement were drawing to a close (which completed Dec. 6th, 1921). Hedging their bets I suppose in case it didn't turn out to their liking :)

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 May 2017 15:42
by Mac
Hmm, we're getting there!
We've got 10, 25, 30, 50, 100 so far...
The $30 has a very low number, it might have been a small issue.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 23 May 2017 23:45
by DOC
Here is a $1,000 bond of the second type, 'Approved by Dail Eireann'.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 24 May 2017 11:01
by gaelicyoda
Wow - a lot of money in 1921!
Great to see one.... I wonder how elusive pictures of the $5,000 and $10,000 will be? (assuming they exist)

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 25 May 2017 16:53
by Mac
I guess there ought to be specimens of the $5,000 and $10,000 somewhere.
I can't imagine they would have sold too many of them!

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 15:11
by Jenny007
So I own a few of these and they both have a stamp embedded into the paper in the back. I assume all genuine bond notes should have that, and so assume one without is a reproduction? Any thoughts / insights are welcome

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 28 Oct 2017 19:58
by Mac
I'd say you're correct in your assumption there.
Genuine unissued bonds though might not have the embossed stamp, I don't know.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 20 Oct 2019 11:54
by DOC
Here is a second type of Republic of Ireland $10 bond issued in 1921 and distinguished by the title ‘Second External Loan’.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 04 Feb 2020 19:56
by Mac
We have two distinct varieties for these: The first issue (for the want of a better term); and 'Second External Loan'. Were both issued in all the denominations, I wonder.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 15 Feb 2020 15:55
by DOC
Here is a link that gives some useful insights into fundraising activities in support of the First Dáil during the period 1919-1921. Eamon De Valera led two bond drives in the USA. The 1920 bonds can be considered as part of the First External Loan and the 1921 bonds part of the Second External Loan. This terminology is used on documentation relating to the first issue (see attached) and on the actual bonds themselves for the Second Issue.

A noteworthy point in the attached link is a third bond issue lead by Michael Collins in Ireland and referred to as The Internal Loan. These bonds were issued in £ denominations. Receipts relating to the issue of these bonds are known (example attached).

ww w.generalmichaelcollins.com/life-times/finance/national-loan-191920/

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 22 Feb 2020 10:21
by DOC
Here are two more examples of the Internal Loan receipts for £1 and £20. These examples are fully paid and suggest that these receipts functioned as interim certificates. It appears that the promised ‘Definitive Certificates’ were never issued.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 08 Mar 2020 10:12
by DOC
The link below indicates that the domestic bonds were sold in units of £1, £5, £10, £20, £50 and £100. However, I recently found one for 10 shillings (see attached). An example for £5 is also shown.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 28 Mar 2020 15:42
by DOC
Here are two internal loan bonds for £3 and £100. The £3 is unusual and indicates a familiarity with this denomination as late as 1920.

Re: 1920 Republic of Ireland Bond Certificate Ten Dollars. SPECIMEN

Posted: 28 Mar 2020 16:15
by Mac
The 10/- loan bond would allow persons with very modest sums to invest in National Savings. And the £3 bond is interesting, in 1920 large size £3 notes would still have been in circulation, though in miniscule quantities.