Maryland Government Bill Appraisal

1774 Maryland Revolutionary War Period Two Dollar Indented Bill

This is an original Colonial-era fiscal document representing a 'Two Dollars' indented bill issued by the Province of Maryland. The note is dated April 10, 1774, placing it just before the formal start of the American Revolutionary War. It features a vertical orientation printed on thick, heavy-gauge handmade paper, typical of 18th-century rag paper. The primary text describes it as a 'Bill of Exchange' payable in gold or silver at the rate of four shillings and sixpence sterling per dollar. It includes a unique serial number, 11250, handwritten in ink. A prominent feature is the elaborate decorative border and the inclusion of the 'Lord Baltimore' armorial crest of Maryland at the bottom. The note bears a bold, authentic handwritten signature in iron gall ink, likely belonging to one of the authorized commissioners. Condition-wise, the paper has aged to a brownish-tan patina with visible foxing and vertical creasing from historical folding. The edges appear rough, which is consistent with the 'indented' nature of these bills where they were cut from a stub to prevent counterfeiting. It is currently preserved in a modern lucite or acrylic screw-down display frame. These notes were printed by Anne Catharine Green and Son in Annapolis, Maryland, and represent a crucial piece of early American monetary history.