Interesting Item on History Detectives on PBS

[MalteseFalcon]

A couple of women had found a 6-dollar note, from 1776, and wanted to know if it was authentic.

After quite a bit of research, it was deemed authentic, and they provided a lot of info on how the Continental Congress financed the war. They said something like all told Congress authorized 250 million dollars, all currency that was backed by nothing.

Pretty fascinating story. If this belongs in the TV show forum, by all means fire away!

 

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[jeff of pa]

A couple of women had found a 6-dollar note, from 1776, and wanted to know if it was authentic.

After quite a bit of research, it was deemed authentic, and they provided a lot of info on how the Continental Congress financed the war. They said something like all told Congress authorized 250 million dollars, all currency that was backed by nothing.

Pretty fascinating story. If this belongs in the TV show forum, by all means fire away!

 

[jeff of pa]

Not sure if this is Real,
But the State of Maryland may have put one out
in 1774

 

[MalteseFalcon]

It was the first one you posted above, Jeff.
Though the coloration was like the second one you posted.

The two women said they found it in a book. They showed the book it was in....a recent coffee-table book on ALASKA that belonged to one of the lady's husband (the other lady was her daughter lol).

I really like this show, but I have not seen a lot of episodes.

The expert they consulted brought out a whole flock of examples of similar currency...they went into heavy detail about the design, and how Ben Franklin had approved that particular design, and how it was designed as a sort of propaganda to inspire the Colonists.

Like on the seal of the first one posted above , it says "Perseverando", meaning "by perseverance".

Here...I just found this website with a raft of info on Ben Franklin and his influence on this currency.

http://www.common-place.org/vol-06/no-03/irvin/

Here is an image of the bill in question from the above web page, though the bill on the TV show had a different signature on it. I was in awe of the one on the show, though it was not as nice as this:

I had to rant about this a bit, as it floored me that those women had one of these, and also it was something I knew nothing about.

The experts said also that the British made counterfeit bills and sent agents provacateurs to the colonies to spend it like mad, and devalue the legitimate currency.


And like everyone here, I am fascinated by actual artifacts from the period of the birth of our nation.

 

[stoney56]

It was a very interesting show that also delt with a short snorter.

http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/

And FYI, it's been on for 4 seasons + this one.

 

[MalteseFalcon]

Yes I first saw it sometime last year.
The Short Snorter episode blew my mind.

 

[fiatboy]

...currency that was backed by nothing.

"It ain't worth a continental!" hahaha. gotta love fiat!
Ironically, now it's worth quite a bit!

One of my favorite television shows. And I think I saw that episode, too. Quite interesting. Pre-FRN money is always fascinating, especially the really old stuff.

 

[TreasureTales]

Short snorter? I thought that was a midget with a cocaine habit.





OK, sorry!

 

[fiatboy]

hahaha