Lot 2097H
1777 State of Massachusetts Bay, "Sword in Hand" Six Percent Treasury Loan Certificate, Signed by Treasurer Henry Gardner
Ausruf: $500
Estimate: $800 - $950
State of Massachusetts Bay six percent treasury loan certificate, numbered 3531 and dated December 1, 1777, printed within an engraved border, with the "Sword in Hand" device at upper left and the motto "ENSE PETIT PLACIDAM SUB LIBERTATE QUIETEM." The certificate acknowledges receipt from Nathan Bliss of ten pounds, two shillings (£10 2s) for the use and service of the State, the Treasurer promising on behalf of the State and his successors in office to repay Nathan Bliss or bearer by the first day of March 1781 the said sum with interest annually at six percent per annum.
It is signed by Henry Gardner (1731–1782), the first Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts, and by committee members Ezekiel Price (1727–1802), John Scollay (1711–1790), and Peter Boyer (1731–1790).
The "Sword in Hand" device on the Massachusetts treasury loan certificates of this period was engraved by Nathaniel Hurd, following Paul Revere’s design for the Massachusetts "Sword in Hand" currency. With no fully formed federal government to fund the war, the individual states largely financed the Revolution themselves, Massachusetts borrowing from its citizens through interest-bearing loan certificates of this kind.
Wann wird dieses Los versteigert?
The Philatelic Icons Sale 2026 | June 26-28
Sale 28: U.S. & Worldwide Stampless Postal History, and 18th Century American Historical Documents — Friday, June 26, 2026 | 3pm EST, 12pm PST
We are honored to present The Philatelic Icons Sale, the largest and most significant auction Americana Stamps has ever offered.
America's history lives in the letters that crossed goldfields and battle lines, in express covers that linked frontier towns to the outside world, and in the stamps that mark how a young country built its postal system from scratch. This sale brings together more than 1,500 lots that trace that story, including philatelic icons seldom offered to the public.
This auction is a natural fit for 2026, the 250th year of the United States, and for the Boston 2026 World Expo (May 23 to 30, Booth 141), the once-per-decade international exhibition where we are proud to open the sale. More than 750 lots are accompanied by Philatelic Foundation certifications, the largest concentration of certified material we have ever offered in a single sale.
As always, the sale is designed to serve both the collector and the researcher. Whenever available, you can expect:
✔ High-resolution imagery of all aspects of the item
✔ Links to reference articles and supporting research
✔ Links to philatelic certifications
✔ Census data and population insights
✔ Provenance details to trace notable histories
Whether you are pursuing a long-sought rarity or simply enjoy the chance to study material of this caliber, we invite you to explore the Philatelic Icons Sale and join us in Boston for our largest in-person preview to date.