| Description |
Continental Currency. May 10, 1775 $30 Newman 1.1 Contemporary Counterfeit Fr. CC-10CF. PCGS Extremely Fine 40. Introduction From the time they met in the late 1980s, Eric P. Newman and Stuart Levine engaged in discussions and studies of Colonial and Continental paper money. Among the subjects studied in depth were the variations seen on the $90 South Carolina 1779 Coram notes, plate positions of the four Massachusetts Sword-in-Hand issues, printing techniques for New Jersey 1776 three pound and six pound notes, color printing processes used on the October 1773 Pennsylvania notes, and most particularly, the identification and diagnostics of circulating counterfeit Continental Currency notes and their iterations. Beginning in 2005, and looking toward the revisions for the 5th edition of The Early Paper Money of America (EPMOA), Eric and Stuart undertook a serious re-examination of the circulating Continental Currency counterfeits. In addition, they attempted to augment Eric's collection with examples of the missing types and varieties. By 2008, upon publication of the 5th edition, they had only begun to scratch the surface of this complex undertaking. Now, after more than ten years of additional investigation and refinement, this endeavor has culminated in the most up-to-date research and diagnostics of the subject matter. Each lot description in the following offering contains those diagnostics (with the affected words and characters in bold lettering). The complete study, including the small handful of notes not included in the Newman Collection, will be presented on the Newman Numismatic Portal and in the 6th edition of The Early Paper Money of America. This is a very scarce contemporary counterfeit in excellent quality. No. 13310. Printed on thick paper. The Newman plate note, illustrated on page 464 in the appendix. Diagnostics: Newman 1.1: Engraved. Plates cut by Henry Dawkins. This is the first instance of this innovative type of economic warfare. On the face: In the text, the top of the R in THIRTY is open. The baselines of DOLLARS and Value slant down to the right. The period after 1775 is too low compared to that on the genuine bill. Note that it is below the top of the lower curve of the 5 instead of partially above that curve. In the motto, CIES of FACIES is closer to the outside circle than to the inside circle. On the back: The AR in DOLLARS does not touch at the very top. The ship in the distance in the right vignette does not touch the sun's rays. The last s in Sellers slants much too far to the right. Surfaces are clean for any counterfeit type (they were often dirtied intentionally prior to passing) and margins are full. A superior example and essential counterfeit type for any collection. Historically important as the first instance of economic warfare via paper currency. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
From Newman X (Heritage Auctions, November 2018), lot 20046, realized $408. |
