 South Carolina. February 8, 1779 Ordinance. Uncut Sheet of Two Fifty Dollars Notes. Nos.4710//4711. Each signed by E.[dward] Trescot, J.[oseph] Atkinson, and Theo.[dore] Galliard. Printed face and back on a two subject pane showing the face at the left, perpendicular to the vignetted back design. The single plate would be used to print two notes by printing on one side and then flipping the printed paper over to receive the opposite impressions. Printed on slightly rigid laid paper. The plate engraved by Thomas Coram with his signature, 'T.Coram Sculp/1779', at the base of the back vignette. Standard face style for the series with cursive text fonts within scroll borders. At the lower left a vignette of Providence and globe, motto PROVIDENTIA NOSTRIS PRAESIDEAT on the banner. The back design is a classic with Atlas holding a large boulder on his shoulders. Denomination above and English money equivalent below.
This note series is very popular with collectors and individual notes are not rare. However, the notes were well used in commerce. Most of the notes known today are trimmed, split, taped and/or repaired in some manner. Clean and sharp single notes from this series always fetch a healthy premium over the Newman catalogue value. However, an uncut and untrimmed sheet of two notes from the Coram plate is another matter of greatly increasing proportions. In over twenty years of attending paper currency auction sales we have only seen one uncut sheet from this series and it was fought over resolutely by several floor bidders.
This magnificent impression is worthy of the same if not more consideration. Essentially Gem Crisp Uncirculated. Vertical gutter fold as made between the notes. Deep embossing around the impressions showing plate sheet lines. A few small tone spots that must be dismissed. A fabulous showpiece on South Carolina and all later Colonial Acts. This magnificent Atlas vignetted type is a fitting conclusion to this Ford Part X Sale.
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