Catalog
1 Dollar
| Issuer | Republic of Texas, Treasury |
|---|---|
| Year | 1839-1841 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in black on white paper and carries a central vignette of a reclining female allegorical figure accompanied by a cornucopia and barrels, flanked to the left by a standing Native American warrior figure. A large guilloche-style numeral "1" panel appears at each lateral margin, with the bold letterpress inscription "THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS" across the center. The hand-signed lower portion bears manuscript signatures of the Treasurer and Comptroller, with the date and serial number completed in manuscript. |
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| Obverse lettering | The Treasurer of THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS Will pay One Dollar in Promissary Notes of the Government when presented at the Treasurers Office. In accordance with an act of Congress. Austin ____ 18__ ONE |
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| Comments |
The Republic of Texas printed its own currency out of sheer necessity — no established bank of issue existed, and the young republic's credit was essentially worthless on international markets. These Treasury notes, authorized under acts passed between 1838 and 1840, were legal tender for taxes and government dues but circulated at heavy discounts against specie almost immediately. By some contemporary accounts, red-back notes of this period traded at fifteen to twenty cents on the dollar in New Orleans.
Austin printing under frontier conditions meant quality control was inconsistent. Paper supply was irregular, and surviving examples frequently show uneven ink distribution — a production artifact, not damage.