Catalog
10 Stivers
| Issuer | Colony of Berbice, Council of Government |
|---|---|
| Year | 1825 |
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| Currency | Guilder ( -1839) |
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| Obverse description | Printed in black ink by letterpress, the note carries a central vignette of Justice holding scales and a sword, positioned above the inscription "Good with the Colony Berbice." A decorative scrollwork border runs vertically along the left portion, flanked by fields for number, date, and payee. The denomination "10 Stivers" appears in a ruled cartouche at upper right alongside the issuing authority "BERBICE 1825," with the mandatory text "FOR TEN STIVERS" in bold capitals below, and three manuscript signatures of the Commissaries and Secretary by command of the Council of Government. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | No. / 10 Stivers / BERBICE 1825 / TEN STIVERS / Good with the Colony Berbice. / FOR TEN STIVERS. / By Command of the Council of Government. / Commissaries. / Secretary. / Date / to whom issued |
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| Comments |
Berbice was one of three separate British Guiana colonies — alongside Demerara and Essequibo — that were not unified into a single crown colony until 1831. This note was issued just six years before that administrative consolidation, making the Colony of Berbice's independent issuing authority short-lived by any measure. The Council of Government, rather than a bank or treasury board, acting as issuer is unusual and reflects the ad hoc financial arrangements common to small colonial administrations of the period.
The Albion Press in London handled the printing — a firm better known for jobbing work than banknote security production, which raises legitimate questions about the sophistication of any anti-counterfeiting measures employed.