Ithaca HOURS: Currency

Ithaca HOURS

Community Currency
since 1991

This website is maintained by the founder of Ithaca HOURS.
Paul Glover consults for grassroots economic development as GreenPlanners.

The Ithaca HOUR Family

One HOUR = one hour basic labor, or $10.00.
Half HOUR = half hour basic labor, or $5.00.
Quarter HOUR = quarter hour basic labor, or $2.50.
Eighth HOUR = eighth hour basic labor, or $1.25.
Tenth HOUR = tenth hour basic labor, or $1.00.
Two HOURS = two hours basic labor, or $20.00.

The HOUR system has issued fifteen different notes since we began, in five denominations. This is the chronological list:

1991 One HOUR 1,500 printed, #0001-1500, first day 10/17/91. 75% larger than current standard size. #0751-#1000 first day of issue. #0751 is first note ever issued. (signed: Jennings-Romanoff) Front image: 1866 engraving of Lick Brook. Back: Ithaca Calendar Clocks. Recycled 70# pal rose paper.

1991 Half HOUR 1,500 printed, #0001-1500, first day 10/17/91. 75% larger than current size. Reverse motto: "labor credit." #0601-1200 have line above "SERIES 1991" First day #0751-#1000. First note ever spent is #0751. Recycled 70# pale green paper.

1992 Quarter HOUR 6,399 printed, #0001-6399, first day 4/1/92. First day #1476-1558. First current standard "wallet-sized" note. Recycled 70# pale blue paper.

1993 Half HOUR 1,573 printed, #1501-3073, first day 2/11/93. New reverse w/trolleys, motto "I CAN WORK" hidden in color. Recycled 70# pale green paper.

1993 Two HOUR 300 printed, #001-300, first day 4/29/93. 100% local cattail paper w/watermark. 71% current standard size. Honors earliest inhabitants of area, from 10,000 years ago. Front also has flock of birds, beadwork TWO. Back shows corn and spearpoint. Matching micro-serial number on back. Rarest have centered reverse, medium black (not too bold or pale), strong serial number w/good placement, uncirculated.

1993 One HOUR 800 printed, #1501-2300, first day 5/12/93. Yellow overprint tends to fade. Recycled 70# pale rose paper.

1994 Eighth HOUR 3,000 printed, #0001-3000, first day 7/12/94. Salamander on front; bioregional bug (found only in Smith Woods) and Cayuga Lake basin map on back. First with new signators (Fort-Hoffman). Pink-yellow overprints vary from dark-pale: best have rich varied tones. Recycled 70# white paper.

1994 One HOUR 1,960 printed, #2301-4261, first day 8/3/94. Gold overprint, "I CAN WORK" reverse color. (Fort-Hoffman). Recycled 70# pale rose paper.

1994 One HOUR Beverly J. Martin 400 printed, #001-400, first day 8/5/94. Oversize as 1991 notes. Commemorative sponsored by Alternatives Federal Credit Union. First paper money in U.S. to honor an African-American. (Blas-Fort) Best have rich "buttermilk" color on obverse. Front also shows tiny people and animals in margin. Reverse shows B.J.Martin Elementary School, several days of Kwanza, fragment of Langston Hughes poem. Recycled 70# pale ivory paper.

1995 Quarter HOUR 4,045 printed, #6400-10444, first day 7/7/95. First with thermal ink (pink) reverse. (Chernikoff-Gottschalk). Two styles of serial numbers: basic and antique. Recycled 70# pale blue paper.

1996 Half HOUR 1,000 printed, #3074-4074, first day 6/24/96. 100% hemp paper-- Mendocino/Spanish. (Gomez-Quinn)

1997 Eighth HOUR 3,000 printed, #3001-6000, first day 5/28/97. Thermal ink (pink) reverse. Antique serial ## from this note onward. (Golder-Yoselson) 50% cotton.

1999 Two HOUR 9,000 printed, #0301-9300, first day 4/15/99. Thermal ink (Pink) on back.(Guy-Norman). 80# brown

2000 Half HOUR 9,980 printed, #4075-14054, first day 5/17/00. (Cogan-McCasland). 100% white cotton/hemp paper.

2000 Eighth HOUR 17,400 printed, #6001-24001, first day 9/9/00. Thermal ink (blue) on back. (Hargraves-Steiner). 100% white cotton/hemp paper.

2001 Quarter HOUR 20,000 printed #10950-31950, first day 11/14/01. Thermal ink (Purple) on back. (Benson-Goncarovs). 100% white cotton/hemp paper. First with website ithacahours.org

2002 Tenth HOUR ______ printed #_______, first day ______. Thermal ink (Purple) on back. (Burke-Strebel). 100% white cotton/hemp paper.

RARE NOTES: There are a few rare uncut sheets for most of these issues. HOUR collection also includes Malcolm X HOUR prototypes (prepared for Los Angeles, 1992), Trolley Bond (1992), GreenStar $10.00 bills (1993). Rarest is Half HOUR cattail paper fragment & uncut sheet (green ink) preparatory to first Two HOUR printing (1993). 1997 Eighth HOURS were misprinted with black back instead of brown. These were destroyed, though about 40 were saved, unissued. There was an unique 2000 Eighth HOUR issued with yellow front, no pink/orange (in private collection).