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Continental Currency 1775-1779

Posted: 29 Jan 2023 14:16
by DOC
The Second Continental Congress of 1775, meeting in Philadelphia, authorised the issue of a paper currency to fund the Revolutionary War. Paul Revere of Boston engraved the plates for the first of these bills, which were known as Continental Currency.

Here is an interesting example of a $2 bill with an Ireland association. The bill is signed by Hercules Courtenay who was born in Newry in 1736.

Re: Continental Currency 1775-1779

Posted: 25 Feb 2023 19:12
by The Governor
Do we know what position Mr. Courtenay held, as signatory?

Re: Continental Currency 1775-1779

Posted: 26 Feb 2023 12:48
by DOC
Hercules Courtenay was a prominent figure in Baltimore during the Revolutionary War. He acted in many roles and was authorized by the Continental Congress to assign all bills of credit or money for military purposes during the period, 1776-1782. The link provides a nice overview of his career.

http:// courtenaysociety.org/hercules.htm