Early Paper Money of America / Massachusetts / 1702 November 21

Early Paper Money of America (NNP Edition)|

£10,000 in indented Province Bills authorized by the Oct. 15, 1702 and Mar. 27, 1703 Acts. Engraved by John Coney on three new face plates known as the great plate, the middle plate and the lowest plate. The complex scroll on the back plate was applied in red ink. The lower plate had two of each of the two lower denominations. The great plate had 20s, 20s, £3 and £5. The middle plate had 5s, 10s, 20s and 40s. Each denomination had differently shaped Arms.

John Allen printed the bills on a rolling press made by John Brewer. A specimen sheet from the middle plate (5s, 10s, 20s and 40s) exists with the back plate scroll overprinted vertically on the face. The new Arms have the motto HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE (Evil to him who evil thinks). Bills were continuously printed, issued and reissued pursuant to sixteen separate Acts, the last of which was passed July 3, 1708. Signers were Nathaniel Byfield, Elisha Hutchinson, Samuel Legg, John Leverett, and James Russell. Due to counterfeits of 20s bills, all 20s bills were replaced by May 31, 1720 Order.

2s Two varieties
2s6d Two varieties
5s ▷PR◁
10s ▷PR◁
20s Three varieties ▷PR◁, ▷CF◁
40s ▷PR◁
£3
£5