Cool piece of Americana in the upcoming ANR auction...
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
Did anyone else see this? It looks pretty cool. I like this sort of stuff. Where does ANR dig up these things?
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Printed document signed by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, an original government printing of the Congressional Act of March 2, 1793. 1-2/3 pages, legal folio, printed at Philadelphia. Very good overall.
One sheet of laid paper, 12-5/8" x 7-3/4", top edge untrimmed, printed on both sides. Nicely signed in ink by Jefferson as Secretary of State in his usual Th:Jefferson at center of back, nearly 2.5" across, still bold with only minor fading. Signed in type by George Washington, Jonathan Trumbull, and John Langdon at base of text. Folded a few times, with one prominent vertical fold, three prominent horizontal folds, and a few other more minor folds. Vertical interior separation along fold, a few very tiny splits along horizontal fold, another horizontal fold professionally repaired at top left of back side, a few other smaller and essentially invisible repairs at folds. Tiny 1" inch tear at bottom margin is well away from text, minor ink burn at crossed-out contemporary numerical annotation at top left of front side, right of SECOND. Tiny pencil notation in upper left corner, large ink "signature" of Thomas Jefferson runs vertical at front right margin, though not signed by Jefferson himself. Very attractive condition overall, good body to paper, all text is bold. The word "officers" in the middle of the text has been filled in with pencil, and a pencil bracket surrounds the lines related to the Mint.
A vital document on the founding of the United States Mint, dated and approved on March 2, 1793. This act, covering several topics, officially appropriated the funds to purchase the land and buildings of the first United States Mint and the monies used to pay the officers of the Mint their salaries. Other topics covered include everything from the salary of the doorkeeper of the House of Representatives to the erection of the Bald-head lighthouse at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The Mint appropriations, however, are obviously the key inclusion in this bill, ranking first among the list of things to be paid for and covering the most lines of text. In the Public Statutes At Large of the United States of America, this act is entitled "Appropriations for the Mint &c." in the general index.
The Act of April 2, 1792 authorized the construction of the First Mint, in addition to providing a framework for American coinage that remains relevant today. David Rittenhouse, appointed Director less than two weeks later (though he was not sworn in until July 1792), undertook the task of finding an appropriate location, in addition to acting as a headhunter for the Mint's officers. He made an agreement to purchase the distillery and land of Frederick Hailer at 7th and Filbert streets in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse discussed the price with Jefferson, whose role as Secretary of State included oversight of the Mint, and Jefferson communicated the results of his conversations with Rittenhouse to President Washington. On June 17, Washington wrote to Jefferson to indicate that he approved of the purchase and, according to Taxay, Washington issued a Treasury warrant for $10,000 on July 10, 1793 to pay Rittenhouse for the purchase of the Mint and the wages of the workmen.
The present lot is the official Act of Congress making legal payment for Washington's Treasury warrant and more—a total of $12,079.78 was appropriated "for purchasing two lots of ground with the buildings thereon, and for erecting other buildings, and purchasing sundry materials [i.e. raw copper and machinery] and necessaries for the use of the mint."
This act also legally appropriated the money owed to Rittenhouse for his work as director from July 1 to December 31, 1792—$2,294.88—and defined the salaries for 1793, which echoed the amounts included in the April 2 Mint Act: $2,000 for the director, $1,500 for the assayer and chief coiner, and $1,200 for the engraver and treasurer. Further, more appropriations were given for the first time here: $1,500 to hire three clerks at $500 per year for 1793, and no more than $2,600 "for defraying the expenses of workmen" for 1793.
The present document, hand-signed by Jefferson, may have been for distribution to Congressmen on relevant committees or other important people like Mint officers. While we have seen other Acts of Congress signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State, this is the only example of this Act we have seen or heard of. Early Mint documents such as this are extremely rare, perhaps able to be counted on one hand in private collections, and most are extremely closely held by numismatists and dealers who, frankly, don't need to ever sell them—their rarity and historical importance makes them even more beloved than the coins held by the same people. This piece will hold a similar place of esteem in its next collection.
Accompanied by a custom-made leather document box, tooled and decorated in blind, "THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED STATES MINT" in gilt on maroon leather panel on front, "THOMAS JEFFERSON - DOCUMENT SIGNED - MARCH 2, 1793" in gilt on maroon panel on spine. (Total: 1 document, 1 box)
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Printed document signed by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, an original government printing of the Congressional Act of March 2, 1793. 1-2/3 pages, legal folio, printed at Philadelphia. Very good overall.
One sheet of laid paper, 12-5/8" x 7-3/4", top edge untrimmed, printed on both sides. Nicely signed in ink by Jefferson as Secretary of State in his usual Th:Jefferson at center of back, nearly 2.5" across, still bold with only minor fading. Signed in type by George Washington, Jonathan Trumbull, and John Langdon at base of text. Folded a few times, with one prominent vertical fold, three prominent horizontal folds, and a few other more minor folds. Vertical interior separation along fold, a few very tiny splits along horizontal fold, another horizontal fold professionally repaired at top left of back side, a few other smaller and essentially invisible repairs at folds. Tiny 1" inch tear at bottom margin is well away from text, minor ink burn at crossed-out contemporary numerical annotation at top left of front side, right of SECOND. Tiny pencil notation in upper left corner, large ink "signature" of Thomas Jefferson runs vertical at front right margin, though not signed by Jefferson himself. Very attractive condition overall, good body to paper, all text is bold. The word "officers" in the middle of the text has been filled in with pencil, and a pencil bracket surrounds the lines related to the Mint.
A vital document on the founding of the United States Mint, dated and approved on March 2, 1793. This act, covering several topics, officially appropriated the funds to purchase the land and buildings of the first United States Mint and the monies used to pay the officers of the Mint their salaries. Other topics covered include everything from the salary of the doorkeeper of the House of Representatives to the erection of the Bald-head lighthouse at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The Mint appropriations, however, are obviously the key inclusion in this bill, ranking first among the list of things to be paid for and covering the most lines of text. In the Public Statutes At Large of the United States of America, this act is entitled "Appropriations for the Mint &c." in the general index.
The Act of April 2, 1792 authorized the construction of the First Mint, in addition to providing a framework for American coinage that remains relevant today. David Rittenhouse, appointed Director less than two weeks later (though he was not sworn in until July 1792), undertook the task of finding an appropriate location, in addition to acting as a headhunter for the Mint's officers. He made an agreement to purchase the distillery and land of Frederick Hailer at 7th and Filbert streets in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse discussed the price with Jefferson, whose role as Secretary of State included oversight of the Mint, and Jefferson communicated the results of his conversations with Rittenhouse to President Washington. On June 17, Washington wrote to Jefferson to indicate that he approved of the purchase and, according to Taxay, Washington issued a Treasury warrant for $10,000 on July 10, 1793 to pay Rittenhouse for the purchase of the Mint and the wages of the workmen.
The present lot is the official Act of Congress making legal payment for Washington's Treasury warrant and more—a total of $12,079.78 was appropriated "for purchasing two lots of ground with the buildings thereon, and for erecting other buildings, and purchasing sundry materials [i.e. raw copper and machinery] and necessaries for the use of the mint."
This act also legally appropriated the money owed to Rittenhouse for his work as director from July 1 to December 31, 1792—$2,294.88—and defined the salaries for 1793, which echoed the amounts included in the April 2 Mint Act: $2,000 for the director, $1,500 for the assayer and chief coiner, and $1,200 for the engraver and treasurer. Further, more appropriations were given for the first time here: $1,500 to hire three clerks at $500 per year for 1793, and no more than $2,600 "for defraying the expenses of workmen" for 1793.
The present document, hand-signed by Jefferson, may have been for distribution to Congressmen on relevant committees or other important people like Mint officers. While we have seen other Acts of Congress signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State, this is the only example of this Act we have seen or heard of. Early Mint documents such as this are extremely rare, perhaps able to be counted on one hand in private collections, and most are extremely closely held by numismatists and dealers who, frankly, don't need to ever sell them—their rarity and historical importance makes them even more beloved than the coins held by the same people. This piece will hold a similar place of esteem in its next collection.
Accompanied by a custom-made leather document box, tooled and decorated in blind, "THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED STATES MINT" in gilt on maroon leather panel on front, "THOMAS JEFFERSON - DOCUMENT SIGNED - MARCH 2, 1793" in gilt on maroon panel on spine. (Total: 1 document, 1 box)
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
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