Four-shilling note, issued March 25, 1775, typeset, Philadelphia: Hall & Sellers.
Unlike most Revolutionary-era currency, which funded military expenses or the general economy, Pennsylvania’s March 25, 1775, issue supported a public works project: completing the Cape Henlopen lighthouse at the mouth of Delaware Bay. The project was backed by Philadelphia merchants who relied on steady and secure maritime trade. Each note features a detailed image of the lighthouse with ships approaching—a visual reminder of its purpose.
Hall & Sellers, the Philadelphia firm that printed the note, traced its origins to Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Franklin hired the Scottish immigrant David Hall (1714-1777) as a journeyman printer and later made him a partner before retiring in 1766. Hall then partnered with William Sellers (c. 1725-1804) and printed newspapers, government documents, books, and official currency.