1778 HOPKINSON 1st Continental Loan-Office, Paris

Autographs
A 1778 "First" Continental Loan-Office Sight Draft on Paris Author William Anderson states "Presently no First Bill of Exchange is Known to have Survived"
FRANCIS HOPKINSON (1737-1791). Signer of the Declaration of Independence as a Delegate from New Jersey, Pennsylvania Admiralty Court Judge, Federal Judge, American Author, played a key role in the Design of the First American Flag and creation of the Design for the "Great Seal of the United States"; Continental Congress US Loan-Office Treasurer of Loans.
November 3, 1778-Dated Revolutionary War, Continental Loan Office Sight Draft "for Interest due on Money borrowed by the United States," Signed, "Fr. Hopkinson" as Treasurer of Loans for the United States, measuring 4" x 8.25," Choice Crisp Near New. Anderson US-97, 1A (Signed Hopkinson/Lawrence). This Bill of Exchange draft is in the amount of 30 Dollars, payable with interest to Wm. Solomon Smith, payment drawn on the American Loan Commissioner at Paris. Countersigned by John Lawrence, Commissioner of the Continental Loan-Office in the State of Connecticut. Signed endorsement is written by "Sol(omon) Smith" and the assignee, "William Greene" on the blank reverse side. Printed in green and black ink. This is the first of four bills, which is unknown on any Continental Loan Office.
In his 1983 book, "The Price of Liberty," author William Anderson notes, "Presently no First bill of exchange is known to have survived, Second bills are rare, and Third and Fourth bills are very common."
An example of this same issue is shown illustrated in the Anderson reference on page 89, being a "Second" Bill of Exchange. Over the past four decades EAHA has offered a number of Francis Hopkinson signed Continental Loan-Office Certificates, importantly this example stand out as the first "First". Its inherent great rarity is due to the fact that all of the "First" Bills were sent to France to be paid; the remaining duplicate bills stayed here in America. If the "First" Bill was lost or not received, a Second would be sent and so on, until the Bill of Exchange was paid at Paris. What happened to the First Bills in Paris? That is unknown, but they were all very likely destroyed. This current "First" Continental Bill of Exchange for $30 on Connecticut is in beautiful condition with rich blue-green and black colors on fresh clean specially watermarked "UNITED STATES" laid period paper. an incredible rarity for the serious collector of early American Fiscal Paper.
KEYWORDS:
Colonial Currency, Paper Money, Early Paper Money of America, Connecticut Currency, American Revolutionary War Loan, Colonial America, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Province of Massachusetts Bay, Printing Paper Money, British Colonial Acts, French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, George Washington, Continental Congress, Continental Currency, No Taxation Without Representation, Inflation, Fiat Currency, Currency Printing, Benjamin Franklin, French Loan