Description

1864 Receipt for Pay – 1 st New York Light Artillery Offered for your consideration is a partly-printed receipt acknowledging the payment of a soldier in a New York light artillery unit. Headlined “ Pay Department, U. S. A. ” and dated “ Oct 6 , 186 4 ”, this document is addressed to “ Paymaster of the 1 Reg’t N. Y. Art’y ”, with the first word struck through and “ Capt ” penned above. The body of the piece states that “ I have this day paid John Riley Co. G $ 183.88 , in full from __________ 186_ to August 31 186 4 . ”, and it is signed at the conclusion by “ Henry G. Nims ” in his capacity as “ Paymaster U. S. A. ”. The back was originally blank, though a notation was written in red ink (mostly cut off when the document was trimmed) and another in pencil reading “ charged on Muster Roll / Oct 31 st 1864 ”. It is interesting that the addressee was changed at the top, and that there is no beginning date for the payment. It is also unknown why the payment was made over a month after the ending date (August 31, 1864). An intriguing document that begs for further research. The presently offered specimen exhibits signs of significant period use, followed by years of less than ideal storage. Toning is noted across the entire surface, imparting a beige to light tan hue to the paper. This toning is somewhat darker at the edges, particularly at the left. Numerous stains are scattered throughout the document, though none is dark enough to affect the legibility of the text. Several vertical folds are present, with only the central one significantly affecting the integrity of the paper. The text is clear and legible, with the Nims signature being sharp and bold. The edges are irregular, with the top and bottom widening to the right and the left edge being trimmed almost to the text (as noted earlier, the notation on the back has been cut in half). Measuring approximately 3½ x 7 inches, this piece would look nice framed with a portrait of either of the individuals mentioned or a view of the guns of the unit (if any of these exist). Any additional questions regarding condition should be addressed before purchasing. We offer free shipping on this item. If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing. Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2 nd Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows. American Coins and Collectibles Shreveport, LA