Lottery payment notes

The first authorized lottery in Colonial America took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1745. These notes were used to pay the winners of the state lottery. "Massachusetts State Lottery, Class the Third" is seen along the right margin. Lotteries in Colonial America were much different than the lotteries of today and were viewed favorably by the clergy as they were often used as a means to raise money for churches and colleges, Harvard among them. The vignette of a pine tree surrounded by a rattlesnake at upper left adds to the appeal. The spiral design at bottom includes the text, "DEATH TO COUNTERFEIT THIS." The left side of the note is purposefully curved. When a ticket was sold, one of the lottery directors signed the ticket and then cut it out along the left side of the design area and gave the ticket to the purchaser. This purposeful cut was called an “indent” and the idea was that each ticket would have a unique curve that would perfectly join the indent on the center segment of the ticket, the “stub” that the lottery director kept. The intent was to prevent counterfeiters from making false tickets or altering the number of a losing ticket.
Blank payment certificates were signed by a committee of John Scollay and Edward Green. When the date and amount was entered and the certificated was issued it was signed by the Treasurer of the Commonwealth, Henry Gardner.