Colonial Currency — Delaware — January 1, 1776 — Ten Shillings Note

A ten-shilling Delaware colonial note dated January 1, 1776, serial number 91520.

Signed by John McKinly, Boaz Manlove, and Thomas Collins.

Printed by James Adams, Delaware’s first printer, who worked with Benjamin Franklin before establishing his own press in 1761.

The front features the British royal arms and text authorizing the note for the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex upon Delaware, with reference to the reign of George III.

The reverse depicts a sheaf of wheat above the warning “To Counterfeit is Death” and Adams’s printer’s imprint. 

The signers included two future leaders of Delaware. John McKinly, a Wilmington physician, became the state’s first president in 1777. Thomas Collins served as president from 1786 to 1789. State of Delaware Boaz Manlove represented Sussex County in the colonial assembly and initially supported resistance to British policies before later joining the British side.

Size: 2.75" x 3.5"

The note is enclosed in a 3" x 5" freestanding Lucite frame to protect the currency while allowing you to display it standing or flat. The two pieces of Lucite are held together with magnets, which makes it easy to remove the currency for a closer inspection or to frame in a different manner or to store.

The manufacturer claims UV protection, but I haven't seen any technical report, so recommend keeping them out of direct sunlight.

Shipping: $15. Please allow two weeks for shipping.