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Lot 2
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Two Coins given to British Spy Major John AndrŽe by his Jailer!
Two Coins given to British Spy Major John AndrŽe by his Jailer!
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Description:

AndrŽe, John (1750-1780) Two English coins owned by Major John AndrŽe, given by him to his jailer prior to his hanging as a British spy, with manuscript illustrations, map, and account detailing the events leading up to AndrŽe's capture

Original drawings in ink and watercolor and an Autograph Manuscript unsigned, almost all in pencil, 9" x 5.5", mounted on a card. To the left of the manuscript is a hand drawn map of the Hudson River from Tappan north to West Point in ink and watercolor. A snake is the grass is slithering behind the map. Identifications are in ink, such as is "Andre landed at the Clove," "AndrŽe Taken," "Smith's House," "Tellers Point," and "Robinson's House." The location on the Hudson River of the "Vulture," AndrŽe's two-masted sloop of war, is noted, with a tiny drawing. There are finely executed drawings of Smith's House and Robinson's House, and a skillfully executed copy of John AndreŽ's self-portrait which was found among his effects. A 2.25" x 3" left-profile bust sketch of Benedict Arnold is at the lower left on an extension to the card. This item is very difficult to date and attribute.

The lengthy manuscript begins in ink: "Sep 21 to Oct. 1, 1780, ten days, began & finished Andre's Tragedy." It continues in mostly light pencil, with some words contemporaneously gone over in dark pencil. Continuing, in part, "AndrŽe landed at Clove Long Mountain, a little below Haverstraw, & there on the night of the 21st and next entered the house of Joshua Hett Smith ... Arnold concocted their devilment. At sunrise 22d a cannon at Tellers Point drove off the Vulture".

In 1987, Consultant and Appraiser Jack Laura appraised the value of the above described collection at $6,800 (photocopy of the appraisal is present). Noted on an accompanying photocopy is that this collection was "on display at the Virginia libraries 1950's." After noting the "day-by-day account of Major Andre's meeting with Benedict Arnol hand drawn map showing the landing of Major Andre hand sketch of the Smith house, the Robinson house, Major Andre, Benedict Arnold," Laura writes about the collection, framed at the time of his appraisal, "The frame also has one 50 dollar U.S. Continental Army Currency dated 1779, a dime size English silver coin dated 1775, and a silver dollar size English silver coin dated 1777. The coins were given from Major Andre to his jailer on the day of his death."

Also present is a Fifty Dollar United States Continental Currency note, 3.5" x 2.5", worn with a mid-vertical split. Printed and handwritten text are dark and clear. In a study of U.S. Continental Paper Currency, the Massachusetts Historical Society wrote, in part, "From June 1775 to 1779, Congress ordered 11 emissions of Continental Currency to the amount of 226 million Spanish milled Dollars. These bills constituted 82% of the federal governmentÕs income during this period. At first the currency circulated at a par with the Spanish milled dollar, but since the states were simultaneously emitting their own bills of credit and debt certificates to cover their war expenses, the glut of bills issued without sound financial revenues soon led to depreciation of all forms of circulating paper, but especially that of Congress. Great Britain contributed to this financial instability through counterfeiting É This depreciation had effectively put an end to circulation of the paper bills by 1779, when Congress resolved to stop issuing them altogether."

Handwritten on the U.S. Fifty Dollar "14th January 1779" bill (the final date of issue of paper currency during the Revolutionary War) owned by Major AndrŽe, appear the words "Boston" and the signature "Francis Wyman." Authentic $50 U.S. Continental Currency bills do not have any city penned on them, and bear two signatures. Of the seven known different January 14, 1779, $50 bills in existence, none bear a location or Wyman's signature; each authentic note bears two signatures. With his two English coins, Major AndrŽe may also have been carrying this counterfeit bill printed by the British which shouldn't be surprising.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000