Note Highlights
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Issuer: Colony of Rhode Island
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Date of Issue: July 2, 1776
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Denomination: $1/16 (Sixteenth of a Dollar)
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Reference: Friedberg RI-241
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Grade: PMG VF25 (Very Fine) – Circulated with moderate wear but strong detail
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Serial Number: Unknown (not recorded on holder)
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Paper Type: Laid paper, printed by colonial presses of the era
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Design Features:
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Textual design with typeset lettering and ornamental borders
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Printed authorization of the Rhode Island General Assembly
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Signatures and serial number handwritten at issuance (though faded/absent here)
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Historical Significance
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Dated July 2, 1776, the same day the Continental Congress formally voted for independence, making it a direct artifact of Revolutionary America.
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Issued by Rhode Island as part of emergency wartime finance to pay soldiers, purchase supplies, and sustain the colonial government.
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Small denominations like this $1/16 note circulated widely among colonists, helping bridge coin shortages during the Revolutionary War.
Collectibility
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Colonial Currency Appeal: Collectors highly value Rhode Island fractional notes for their tangible connection to the Revolution.
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Grade Rarity: At VF25, the note retains good readability and overall integrity—higher than most surviving small-denomination colonial notes, which often show heavy damage.
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Fractional Rarity: The $1/16 denomination is among the most interesting fractional issues, demonstrating how small sums were monetized during the crisis.
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A cornerstone piece for colonial currency specialists, Revolutionary War historians, or any U.S. type note collection.
