New York, New York. Hungarian Fund. Face plate for a 3-subject sheet. $50-$50-$100. Pick-S139-S139-S140. Steel. 9 x 14 inches. Imprint of Danforth, Bald and Company, New York and Philadelphia. A superb piece from the archives of American Bank Note Company, and the second Hungarian Fund Certificate plate we have had the pleasure of offering at auction.
This piece bears the engraved designs of the two highest denominations issued in the series, and while the $1 notes are well recognized these denominations are almost never seen. The plate is lovely even pewter gray with traces of pale blue and gold toning and just a few light handling marks scattered about. In general, the plate is very nicely preserved, quite clean and attractive. The $50 notes bear an allegorical female seated at right, as printed, with an American shield. At left stands Liberty while a distinctive portrait of Lajos Kossuth is at center. The same portrait of Kossuth is at the center of the $100 denomination, supported by allegorical females at left and right. A lovely used to print a scarce and historic issue. The original paper wrapper is included.
Mark of J. Keim, Philadelphia on back.
Lajos "Louis" Kossuth (1802-1894) was a Hungarian lawyer, political agitator, and freedom fighter who rose to a place of great influence as the provisional governor of the country when Austria and Hungary went to war in 1848. He lost his position of power quickly upon Hungary's loss of the war, and fled the country. He went to Turkey first where he issued loan receipts in 1851 in a fundraising effort, and later spent time in England, Italy, and United States where he was greeted with a 100 gun salute upon his arrival and hailed by many as the "Hungarian Washington". He was received at the White House by Millard Fillmore. While he had lost his power in his native land, he always was able to maintain considerable influence within the Hungarian community and among others who had been subjected to oppression. He never gave up his long struggle to secure the Independence of Hungary, and hoped to be able to return to Hungary to establish the government he dreamed of. The Hungarian Fund notes of 1852 were issued as part of another fundraising campaign with the promise that $1 (in the case of the notes printed from the present plate) would be paid the bearer one year after the establishment of an Independent Hungarian Government.
This interesting and worthwhile item, it is one of kind, item that may never be available again.
