***Auction Highlight*** Continental Currency Januray 14, 1779 $80 Fr-CC102 Sig. F. Cather Grades Select CU. The highest denomination and final Continental Currency note listed in Newman and Friedberg. This is a very scarce type in high grade. In 1779, like the $70 from the series, this denomination replaced the $8 originally authorized and used on prior series. It was printed on the pane array with the lowest denominations. Continental Currency had been revalued with $40 in old Continental currency equal to $1 in new Continental currency, making this in effect equivalent to a $2 note from the earlier issues. This final Hopkinson-designed emblem shows a large tree with the motto ET IN SECULA SECULORUM FLORESCEBIT (And it will flourish for ages and ages). A beautifully balanced note, nearly perfect in appearance. The face margins are ample - wide for this series. The red color on the emblem and border is vibrant. The diamond shape is quite noticeable here and caused these notes to be referred to as "kite faced bills" in the period. The printing is excellent. A key type and difficult to find in this grade. Emissions totaling $95,051,695 payable in Spanish milled dollars, or the equivalent in gold or silver, were authorized by seven separate resolutions between January 14 and November 29, 1779. $50,000,000 of this was to be used to exchange the for the recall of the May 20, 1777 and April 11, 1778 issues. A new border cut used the legend "United States of North America" and on the reverse are a new series of leaf and cloth nature prints. Also emblems and mottos were cut in a smaller size and part of the emblem and left border of the obverse were printed in red with the remainder in black. Francis Hopkinson designed the new $35, $45, $70 and $80 bills (the last two replacing the $7 and $8), others designed the new $55 and $65 bills. Detector bills were printed in red and black on blue paper. By the date of this issue the Congress officially valued the currency at $7.42 in Contenental dollars for $1 in specie. Printed by Hall and Sellers Philadelphia The paper, made at Ivy Mills in Chester County, Pennsylvania, contained blue fibers and mica flakes. Denominations printed were the: $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $20, $30, $35, $40, $45, $50, $55, $60, $65, $70 and $80.