On Sept 16th , 1620 a group of 102 men and women set out fromPlymouth, England to start a new life in northern Virginia. They cameclose but actually ended up on the shores of Cape Cod in what wouldlater become, the State of Massachusetts. They were escaping churchprosecution and hoped to be able to live by their own beliefs here inthis new land. They anchored their ship, the Mayflower, offProvincetown, Massachusetts and made a few day trips to explore theshore to see if it could help sustain them.

While on board and actuallybefore they proceeded another few miles across the bay to the distantshore of Plymouth, they drew up, agreed to live by, and signed adocument that became their first constitution which we now know asthe Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower's main cabin became thestudy where this was drawn up and signed by John Carver,Wm. Bradford, Wm. Brewster, Myles Standish, John Alden and 36 otheradult males who were considered to be the Pilgrims on board.

The title of this article is the opening statement of that . Themain vignette of the note shown above is an artist's engraving of thatprobable scene on board the Mayflower. The caption under the image,above is the actual title of the engraving executed by Toppan,Carpenter and Company, banknote engravers.

A group of the Pilgrims has gathered to meet a representative of anative tribe of indigenous people. This vignette is a copy of the 1818 painting, by Henry Sargent. A is available identifyingeach of the subjects portrayed including even, Peregrine White, the infant beingheld by his father ascending the hill behind the group.

The ship, Mayflower may be seen in the background and Pilgrimscoming ashore to join with others readying a tent and preparing food. Note thePine Tree to the right with a Native American approaching below and an Ospreyabove, keeping an eye out for errant bits of food. The date, 1620 appears in thesand to the left of the tree on this plate executed by the New England BanknoteCompany about 1835.

The scenes depicted on these three banknotes are of the earliestAmerican historical event captured on some issues of our early papermoney, before the advent of federally issued paper money. These havebecome a text of images and a source of knowledge for thoseinterested in learning about their origin.

During this Thanksgiving season it is customary to give thanks for ourgood fortunes just as the Pilgrims before us and as collectors we couldalso give thanks for the foresight shown by the early bankers, artistsand engravers when executing these historic images.