CHOICE REVOLUTIONERY WAR BILL OF EXCHANGE SIGNED BY FRANCIS HOPKINSON, A SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

HOPKINSON, FRANCIS (1737-1791) American statesman;  Signer of the Declaration of Independence and a delegate from New Jersey. [Anderson US 93 8B].  United States Partially Printed Fourth Bill of Exchange, Nr 313 signed, “F. Hopkinson,” as Treasurer of Loans. New York October 3, 1781. The document reads:

“Exch. For 120 dollars at five Livres Tournois p. dollar Numb. 313. United States of America, 3d day of October 1781. At thirty days sight of this Fourth Bill, First, Second and Third not paid, pay to John Sander Junr. On Order One Hundred and Twenty Dollars in Six Hundred Livres Tournois for Interest due on Money borrowed by the United States. To the Commissioners or Commissioners of the United States of America at Paris T. Hopkinson Countersigned Wm. Yates Jr. commission of the Continental Loan-Office at the State of New York.”

 

Hopkinson represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. He served as treasurer of loans from July 1778, a particularly difficult time in financing for the newly formed nation.

“These bills of exchange were issued in uncut sheets of our and were redeemable in Paris. They were watermarked United States 1, 2, 3 or 4 corresponding to the number on the bill. If the first bill was lost of captured at sea (ship captains had standing orders to weight bills of exchange and throw them overboard if stopped by a British ship of war), the holder would then send the second bill, and so on.” (Anderson)

 

$1650.00