 South Carolina. February 8, 1779 Ordinance. Ninety Dollars (£146:5:0). Warrior Vignette. ARMISA CONCURRITE CAMPO. Engraved face and back by Thomas Coram, Hercules Strangling a Lion. No.7122. Signed by Cooke, Atkins and Weston. Printed on thick white paper stock. Standard size, approximately 122mm by 75mm. The top face with ornate cursive 'NINETY DOLLARS', denominations in small cartouches at left and bottom. Floral wreath border on other three sides with vignette and motto lower left. Back vignette (parallel to face) within four banners.
The back vignette is signed on the plate by Coram (as stated in Newman) in the fold of the drapery. Also, on some notes, there are engraved marks concealed in the upper right back banner with 'DOLLARS'. On this note, there is 'No 11' on the left inside turn of the banner. This denomination also not part of the original four created by the Ordinance. No print figure, like the $50 and $70 notes, is specified in Newman.
This is one of the most popular notes on the series and all Colonial paper currency. It has broad numismatic appeal for American and classically inclined numismatic collectors. The plate is moderately worn or inked lightly. Printed evenly though, even in the fine details in the engraved marks on the back banner.
About Uncirculated. Wonderful paper crispness and brightness. A vertical bending, only seen with close scrutiny. The margins are super close. Sadly, due to the tight cutting, Hercules has received bad surgery at the Sparta branch office of ''The Hair Club for Mythological Men.'' This back centering (or lack of) diagnostic is often seen on the type. However, the surfaces are clean and most notes on the type are split to some degree and often repaired crudely. Pencil code at back upper right corner. Superior paper quality counts for much and should offset most of the poor back centering and missing toupee'.
Ex F.C.C. Boyd Estate.
The 1779 Coram engraved issue is complex. We have discussed paper, plate and inking variances already on other notes. In this case, it is evident that this mark on the banner served some sort of purpose. Did it indicate the plate number and what paper type it corresponded to? Was it an anti-counterfeiting measure? This was not the type of note counterfeiters relished to copy with much complexity inherent in the designs.
In this offering, there are four different marks observed: None, 'No 1','No 11', and 'No 1111'. We would surmise that 'No 111' is out there somewhere.
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