Date: 1829

1829 Hibernian Bank Three Pounds, Post Bill

Description:

1827 Hibernian Bank Three Pounds Token, Type 2 (Promise to Pay within six months).

• Manually dated ‘ 1829’ and numbered ‘x’.
• Cancelled with ink ‘x’ over clerk and cashier’s signatures
• A rare early paper note

Obverse:

• Design comprises two vignettes, one to the left of Hibernia seated with a harp and the other (on the right) of the Three Graces.
• Denomination in words ‘THREE POUNDS’ at the centre, and bottom left
• The words ‘Promise to pay the bearer | after six months | THREE POUNDS British, below
• The word ‘THREE’ also appears on top left and top right
  • Note: there is no reference to token, i.e. this is a promissory note.
• Below the upper border, the name ‘HIBERNIAN JOINT STOCK COMPANY’ is used.
• The bank’s location ‘DUBLIN’ appears below.
  • Engraved and printed by Perkins & Heath, London

Reverse:

• Blank (Uniface)

Notes:

• Despite being a new bank with substantial backing, the Chancellor of the Exchequer refused to grant the Hibernian Bank permission to issue its own banknotes.
  • Registered as The Hibernian Joint Stock and Annuity Company, it opened in June 1825, with a massive 1,063 shareholders, many of them London based
  • It was founded by a group of Dublin businessmen in response to anti-Catholic discrimination by Bank of Ireland. Daniel O’Connell was a vociferous supporter in the House of Commons
  • It later changed its name to The Hibernian Bank.
• This would have impeded their progress considerably, so they improvised and issued tokens instead. These Hibernian-issued tokens, although legal, were withdrawn following opposition by Bank of Ireland.

Country:

• Ireland

Category:

• Early Irish Banknotes
  • Joint-Stock Banks
  • Hibernian Bank
    •  Three Pounds
      • Token
      • Type 2 (Post Bill)

Further Reading:

Books & Catalogues (Irish Banknotes & Paper Money)

• Irish Banknotes, Irish Paper Money 1783-2005
  • Martin MacDevitt, Meath Ireland (2005)
• Paper Money of Ireland – the definitive guide to Irish banknotes
  • Bob Blake & Jonathan Callaway (West, 2009)
• Irish Banknotes – Irish Government Paper Money From 1928
  • Martin MacDevitt (1999)
• Consolidated Banknotes of Ireland
  • Derek Young (1974)
• Legal Tender Banknotes
  • Derek Young (1972)