promissory note

promissory note : J Lloyd, Wellington, 1845; number 3020 : 3 pence

black; printed on paper: WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, / No. / 1845. ' ON presentation of twenty of these notes, I promise to pay the Bearer the sum of Five Shillings in Goods or Government Debentures. / Threepence.

handwritten in ink: [serial no.] 3020; [date] Dec. 20th [1845]; signed: J Lloyd

"A somewhat rare historical document came into the possession of the Auckland Museum authorities a few days ago, having been presented to the Institution by Mr Rhodes Donald (reports the New Zealand Herald). It is a debenture or IOU of the kind issued by the Wellington tradesmen in 1845, when copper money was scarce. Its denomination is threepence, and the issuer, J. Lloyd, placed it on the confiding public in the following terms:- "Wellington, New Zealand, December 20, 1845. On presentation of 28 of these I promise to pay the owner the sum of 5s in goods or Government debentures. - J. LLOYD."

see Papers Past, Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIII, Issue 74, 28 March 1898, Page 1