Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Washington, George (1732-1799) [Forgery of a George Washington check]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04541 Author/Creator: Washington, George (1732-1799) Place Written: s.l. Type: Manuscript Date: circa 1840 Pagination: 1 p. ; 6.1 x 13.7 cm. Order a Copy

Written to Mr. M. Pringle for the sum of $287.50. This document is considered to be a forgery created by Robert Spring, a prolific forger of Washington documents.

Originally from England, Spring made a living in Philadelphia and Baltimore by selling forged copies of documents. He was put on trial for forgery in 1869.

Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

Spring, Robert, 1813-?
Washington, George, 1732-1799
Pringle, M., fl. 1799

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