Woodhouse (Upper Canada) - Unknown Issuer One Shilling, "New York Currency in [Canadian] Army Bills" Undated (Ca. 1812). PCGS ...

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Likely Unique Woodhouse "New-York Currency in Army Bills" Shilling

Woodhouse (Upper Canada) - Unknown Issuer One Shilling, "New York Currency in [Canadian] Army Bills" Undated (Ca. 1812). PCGS Very Fine 25 Apparent.
This mysterious, small-format Colonial-style bill, is the only example we have encountered, and it is likely unique. An intriguing note that was listed in the New York section of Newman and later removed, but does not appear in the fifth edition. Sixteen years after publishing an article about the note, he discovered its true origin while on a group trip to China. A fellow traveler related that Woodhouse was in present day-Canada, not New York. With further research, Eric was able to update his findings in the IBNS journal reporting this as a Canadian private scrip note, though payable in "New York Currency." Woodhouse was in the area defined as Upper Canada during the War of 1812. This unsigned note displays relatively few clues about its exact nature or origin. Printed on a wide margined piece of laid paper, without imprint. Fancy bordering is on all sides with four-leaf clovers in the outside corners. The text in three lines reads: "The Bearer hereof is Intitled to / Receive One Shilling, New- / York Currency in Army Bills." At the lower left is "Woodhouse," and to the right, space for an issuer signature. The reference to "New-York Currency" could have placed this in the 1776-1780 time period (when the hyphenated spelling appeared on the backs of New York Colonial notes). However, "New-York Currency" in shillings and pence was a money of account during the War of 1812 period. The Army Bills referred to were issued in Canada and backed by Bills of Exchange. They were accepted across the border in New York despite the prohibition against trade with Canada. This type of note was styled to circulate as scrip and is similar to many American notes from the 1780s and 1790s. Noted with "Small Splits; Minor Mounting Remnants on Back." An important North American currency note and no longer a numismatic puzzlement. Eric ends his 1983 article with a characteristic comment: "It is hoped that the findings concerning the Woodhouse notes are more than just a borderline conclusion."
Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society

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Auction Dates

November, 2017

1st-2nd Wednesday-Thursday

Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 12

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Truth Seeker: The Life of Eric P. Newman (softcover)
A powerful and intimidating dealer of the 1960s, backed by important colleagues, was accused of selling fraudulent gold coins and ingots to unsuspecting numismatists. Who would go up against a man like that and, over the course of decades, prove the fraud? Who would expose a widely respected scholar as a thief, then doggedly pursue recovery of coins that the scholar had stolen from an embarrassed numismatic organization, all over the objections of influential collectors who had bought coins with clouded titles? Eric P. Newman would - and did. Reserve your copy today.

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