Interesting facts about Canadian coins and bank notes

1. Production of Canada's bank notes and coins

2. British monarchs on Canadian currency since 1858

3. Canadians presently appearing on Canadian banknotes

4. Notable events in the evolution of Canadian currency

Production of Canada's bank notes and coins

The Bank of Canada is the country's sole note-issuing authority. Since 1935, it's been responsible for designing, producing, and distributing Canada's bank notes. Once a design has been approved, the Bank contracts the printing of the notes to two security printing companies, Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited and BA Banknote.

Coins are minted by the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa and Winnipeg.

Back to Top

British monarchs on Canadian currency since 1858

Queen Victoria appeared on Canadian coins and bills from 1858 to 1901, then Edward VII (1902 to 1910), George V (1911 to 1936), George VI (1937-1952), and Elizabeth II (1953-present). 

Back to Top

Notable events in the evolution of Canadian currency

1851 - Representatives of the provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick meet and agree to work together towards a common decimal currency. Legislature passes The Canadian Currency Act making the decimal system and the Dollar legal tender. It takes effect June 14, 1853.

1867- The British North America Act receives royal assent, giving legislative authority to the parliament of Canada over matters of coinage.

1871 - The Uniform Currency Act comes into effect, establishing the decimal currency system uniformly across Canada.

1871 - Canadian coins are struck for the first time for the first time under special supervision from the Royal Mint.

1935 to 1937 - For the first time, separate unilingual English and French bank notes were produced. In 1937, a bilingual issue was created since it turned out to be too expensive to produce separate English and French versions. Notes have been bilingual since then.

1954 - Early printings of the 1954 Bank of Canada issue show the image of a devil's head in the Queen's portrait. Highlights in the Queen's hair, behind her ear, show a devil-like image. Controversy forced the redesign of the Queen's portrait. The devilish image was eventually removed in a modified issue by darkening the highlights.

1970's - Starting in 1970, the Queen's portrait is gradually replaced by Canadian Prime Ministers on paper bank notes. As of this date, only the twenty dollar bill features Queen Elizabeth II.

Sources: A History of the Canadian Dollar, by James Powell, The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, Canada's Money, by John Kleeberg, Currency Museum / Bank of Canada .

Back to Top

Return to Replacing the Queen on Canada's currency

Citizens for a Canadian Republic