United Colonies Continental Currency Two Dollars
Anonymous, American, 18th century American
Printer Hall and Sellers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania American
Not on view
An emission of $5,000,000 payable in Spanish milled dollars, or the equivalent in gold or silver, was authorized by the Continental Congress then meeting in Baltimore because Philadelphia was occupied by British troops. The location of the printers, Hall and Sellers, which had been mentioned on previous issues was left off of this and all subsequent Continental Congress issues. Although this emission is known as the Baltimore issue Newman suspects the bills could have been partly or entirely printed in Philadelphia. This was the last issue to use the phrase "The United Colonies." On the two dollar bill is the figure of a hand with a flail over sheaves of wheat on a Threshing floor, and the motto TRIBULATIO DITAT –— translated "Affliction enriches," or, as applied in the device and under the circumstances, "Threshing improves it" — brings out its best qualities.
