The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 6, February 5, 2006, Article 25

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN's CURRENCY PRINTING REMEMBERED

A recent article remembered Benjamin's Franklin's printing of
New Jersey currency in 1728:

"Excited children huddled in front of a nondescript vacant lot
within sight of the Delaware River.

Their eyes wide with wonder, they hung on every word as a man
dressed in Colonial garb regaled them with tales of how Benjamin
Franklin once walked where they now stood.

Jeff Macechak, education director for the Burlington County
Historical Society, also told the home-schooled children how
Franklin worked at a print shop that operated on the now-empty
lot at 206 High St."

"Reading from Franklin's autobiography, Macechak told the
children that Franklin stayed in the city for three months in
1728. He printed currency for the then-colony of New Jersey
using a copperplate press he built.

Though the print shop was torn down in 1881, its original door
handle and latch survived. They are on display at the historical
society library in the Corson Poley Center at 451 High St.

The ornate metal handle plate has the initials "H.R.H," an
abbreviation Macechak said means "His Royal Highness" -- a
reference to the king of England, who controlled the colonies.

The door handle plate was donated by Carrie B. Aaron, 
great-granddaughter of Isaac Collins, a Colonial government 
printer who operated the shop in the late 1700s."

"Alan Stahl, a curator of numismatics at Princeton University, said
no currency Franklin printed in 1728 is known to exist."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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