Catalog
25 Cents
| Issuer | Colonial Agency of Liberia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1834 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | A central vignette of a standing cow occupies the middle of the note, printed in brown ink on a plain paper ground within a decorative border of diamond and leaf ornaments. The place and date 'Monrovia, July 4, 1834' appear in the upper right, with a serial number prefix letter in parentheses at the top centre. A promise-to-pay clause in script lettering runs across the lower portion, signed by the Agent. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | TWENTY-FIVE CENTS THE COLONIAL AGENT PROMISE TO PAY TO THE BEARER, ON DEMAND, TWENTY-FIVE CENTS |
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| Comments |
The Colonial Agency of Liberia issued this fractional note in 1834, when the colony was still governed by the American Colonization Society — Liberia would not declare independence for another thirteen years. Fractional paper currency of this kind was a practical necessity in a settlement chronically short of small coin, where trade with American-supplied goods made dollar-denominated fractions more logical than any local metallic standard.
Notes from this issuer survive in extremely small numbers. The ACS had no permanent banking infrastructure, and redemption was irregular at best.