Canadian banknote issuers

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Banknotes have been issued in Canada and the British colonies that confederated to form Canada from 1 July 1867.

Between 1871 and 1944, Canadian chartered banks were authorized to issue bank notes for circulation in Canada.[1] In 1899, they were invested with the additional authority to issue bank notes for circulation in any British colony or possession.[2] For several decades thereafter, the chartered banks were the only issuers of larger denominated notes for circulation in Canada, and an important source of notes for circulation in the British West Indies.

In 1934, the newly established Bank of Canada was given "the sole right to issue notes payable to bearer on demand".[3] Coincident with the introduction of the new Bank of Canada notes in 1935, arrangements were made for the gradual contraction in the quantity of chartered bank notes in circulation. As of the end of 1944, the Canadian government withdrew permission for Canadian banks to issue new notes for circulation in Canada; and by 1950, liability for all outstanding Canadian bank notes was transferred to the Bank of Canada, where such notes may still be redeemed.[4] The total value of the notes outstanding at that time was $13,302,046.60.

## Provincial Issues

[edit]

* British Columbia: PS126-128.
* Nova Scotia: PS132-140.
* Ontario: PS141-143.
* Prince Edward Island: PS144-157.
* Province of Canada: PS161-176.

## Domestic issues

[edit]

Notes for circulation in Canada were issued in a variety of different denominations, including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 dollars. In 1871, the smallest denomination allowed was 4 dollars,[5] which was raised to 5 dollars in 1880.[6]

The following is a list of banks with note-issuing privileges and the periods during which they issued notes in Canada. The end dates are the dates appearing on the last note issues, but notes may have circulated for some time after.

Colonial Bank of Canada, Toronto, 1859, $4.. Standing Justice (left) and portrait of Queen Victoria (centre). Obverse Bank of Hamilton, 1892, $5 Canadian Bank of Commerce, Trinidad, 1939, $5 Royal Bank of Canada, Barbados, 1938, $20 or £4.3.4. Obverse Bank of Nova Scotia, Jamaica, 1930, £1. Obverse The RBC 1943 $5 note was the last note issued by a chartered bank in Canada.

List of Canadian Chartered Banks that issued notes

for circulation in Canada [7]

Bank | Dates of Issues
Agricultural Bank | 1834-1837
Arman's Bank | 1837
Bank of Acadia | 1872
Bank of Brantford | 1859
Bank of British Columbia | 1862-1894
Bank of British North America | 1852-1911
Bank of Clifton | 1859-1861
Bank of Fredericton | 1837-1838
Bank of Hamilton | 1872-1922
Bank of Liverpool | 1871
Bank of London | 1883
Bank of Lower Canada | 1839-1851
Montreal Bank/
Bank of Montreal | 1817-1942
Bank of New Brunswick | 1820-1906
Bank of Nova Scotia | 1834-1935
Bank of Ottawa | 1874-1913
Bank of Prince Edward Island | 1856-1877
Bank of the County of Elgin | 1856
Bank of Toronto | 1856-1937
Bank of Upper Canada | 1819-1861
Bank of Vancouver | 1910
Bank of Western Canada | 1859
Bank of Yarmouth | 1860-1891
Banque De Boucherville | 1837
Banque Canadienne | 1836
Banque Nationale/
Banque Canadienne Nationale | 1860-1935
Banque du Peuple | 1835-1892
Banque de St. Hyancinthe | 1874-1892
Banque de St. Jean | 1873-1906
Banque d'Hochelaga | 1874-1920
Banque Internationale de Canada | 1862-1895
Banque Provinciale du Canada | 1900-1936
Banque St. Jean Baptiste | 1875
Banque Ville Marie | 1873-1889
Barclays Bank Canada | 1929-1935
British Canadian Bank | 1884
Canada Bank Company[8] | 1792
Canadian Bank of Commerce | 1867-1935
Central Bank of Canada | 1884
Central Bank of New Brunswick | 1847-1860
Charlotte County Bank | 1852-1859
City Bank of Montreal | 1833-1857
City Bank, Saint John, New Brunswick | 1836-1838
Colonial Bank of Canada | 1859
Commercial Bank of Canada | 1857-1862
Commercial Bank of Manitoba | 1885-1891
Commercial Bank of Montreal | 1835-1836
Commercial Bank of New Brunswick | 1837-1860
Commercial Bank of the Midland District | 1832-1854
Commercial Bank of Windsor | 1860-1898
Consolidated Bank of Canada | 1876
Crown Bank of Canada | 1904
Dominion Bank | 1871-1938
Eastern Bank of Canada | 1929
Eastern Townships Bank | 1859-1906
Exchange Bank of Canada | 1872-1873
Exchange Bank of Toronto | 1855
Exchange Bank of Yarmouth | 1869-1902
Farmers Bank of Canada | 1907-1908
Farmers' Bank of Rustico | 1864-1872
Farmers' Joint Stock Banking Company | 1835-1849
Federal Bank of Canada | 1874-1884
Goderich Bank | 1834
Gore Bank | 1836-1856
Grenville County Bank | 1856
Halifax Banking Company | 1825-1898
Hart's Bank | 1837-1838
Henry's Bank | 1837
Home Bank of Canada | 1904-1920
Hudson's Bay Company | 1820-1870
Imperial Bank of Canada | 1875-1939
International Bank of Canada | 1858-1859
MacDonald and Co. | 1863
Maritime Bank of the Dominion of Canada | 1873-1882
Mechanics Bank of Montreal | 1872
Mercantile Banking Corporation | 1878
Merchants Bank of Canada | 1868-1919
Merchants Bank of Halifax | 1864-1899
Merchants Bank in Montreal | 1874
Merchants Bank of Montreal | 1837
Merchants Bank of Prince Edward Island | 1871-1900
Metropolitan Bank, Montreal | 1872
Metropolitan Bank of Toronto | 1902-1912
Molsons Bank | 1837-1922
Newcastle District Loan Company | 1836
Newcastle Banking Company | 1836
Niagara District Bank | 1854-1872
Niagara Suspension Bridge Bank | 1836-1841
Northern Bank | 1905
Northern Crown Bank | 1908-1914
Ontario Bank | 1857-1898
People's Bank of Halifax | 1864-1903
People's Bank of New Brunswick | 1864-1905
Pictou Bank of Nova Scotia | 1874-1882
Provincial Bank of Canada in Stanstead | 1856
Quebec Bank | 1818-1911
Royal Bank of Canada | 1901-1943
Royal Canadian Bank | 1865-1872
Saint Francis Bank | 1850
Sovereign Bank of Canada | 1902-1907
St. Lawrence Bank | 1872
St. Stephens Bank | 1830-1903
Stadacona Bank | 1874
Standard Bank of Canada | 1876-1924
Sterling Bank of Canada | 1906-1921
Summerside Bank of Prince Edward Island | 1866-1900
Tattersall Bank | 1830
Traders Bank of Canada | 1885-1910
Union Bank | 1838
Union Bank of Canada | 1886-1921
Union Bank of Halifax | 1861-1909
Union Bank of Lower Canada | 1866-1871
Union Bank of Montreal | 1840
Union Bank of Prince Edward Island | 1864-1877
United Empire Bank of Canada | 1906
Western Bank of Canada | 1882-1890
Westmorland Bank | 1854-1861
Weyburn Security Bank | 1911
Zimmerman Bank | 1854-1856

## Chartered Banks

[edit]

Canadian chartered banks historically issuing banknotes  Bank Name  | ID

|

Bank of British Columbia | PS201-219.
Bank of British North America | PS221-435.
Bank of Hamilton | PS441-468.
Bank of Montreal | PS471-564.
Bank of New Brunswick | PS571-599.
Bank of Nova Scotia | PS601-633.
Bank of Ottawa | PS636-664.
Bank of Toronto | PS666-693.
Bank of Vancouver | PS696-700.
Bank of Yarmouth | PS701-704.
Banque Canadienne Nationale (National Bank of Canada) | PS706-717.
Banque d'Hochelaga (Bank of Hochelaga) | PS721-815.
Banque Internationale du Canada (International Bank of Canada) | PS816-818.
Banque Jacques Cartier (Jacques Cartier Bank) | PS821-837.
Banque Nationale (National Bank) | PS841-875.
Bank of the People | PS875A-875E.
Banque du Peuple (Bank of the People) | PS876-909.
Banque Provincale du Canada (Provincial Bank of Canada) | PS911-922.
Banque de St. Hyacinthe (Bank of Saint Hyacinthe) | PS924-929.
Banque de St. Jean (Bank of Saint Jean) | PS931-935.
Banque Ville Marie | PS936-946.
Barclays Bank Canada | PS947-951.
Canadian Bank of Commerce | PS952-972.
City Bank | PS972A-972C.
Commercial Bank of Canada | PS973-996.
Commercial Bank of Manitoba | PS997-1000.
Commercial Bank of the Midland District | PS1000A-1000W.
Commercial Bank of Windsor | PS1001-1004.
Crown Bank of Canada | PS1006-1009.
Dominion Bank | PS1011-1036.
Eastern Townships Bank | PS1041-1057.
Exchange Bank of Yarmouth | PS1058-1060.
Farmers Bank of Canada | PS1061-1065.
Gore Bank | PS1066-1069.
Halifax Banking Company | PS1070-1086.
Home Bank of Canada | PS1087-1091.
Hudson's Bay Company | PS1095-1121.
Imperial Bank of Canada | PS1122-1145H.
Merchants' Bank of Canada | PS1146-1173.
Merchants' Bank of Halifax | PS1174-1189.
Merchants' Bank of Prince Edward Island | PS1191-1196.
Metropolitan Bank | PS1197-1201.
Molsons Bank | PS1202-1243.
Montreal Bank | PS1243A-1243K.
Niagara District Bank | PS1243L-1243V.
Northern Bank | PS1244-1247.
Northern Crown Bank | PS1248-1251.
Ontario Bank | PS1252-1286.
Peoples' Bank of Halifax | PS1287-1290.
Peoples' Bank of New Brunswick | PS1291-1302.
Quebec Bank | PS1306-1368.
Royal Bank of Canada | PS1369-1394.
Saint Lawrence Bank | PS1395-1399.
Saint Stephen's Bank | PS1400-1430.
Sovereign Bank of Canada | PS1431-1434.
Standard Bank of Canada | PS1435-1447.
Sterling Bank of Canada | PS1448-1453.
Summerside Bank of Prince Edward Island | PS1454-1465.
Traders' Bank of Canada | PS1466-1482.
Union Bank of Canada | PS1483-1507.
Union Bank of Halifax | PS1511-1521.
Union Bank of Lower Canada | PS1521A-1521J.
Union Bank of Prince Edward Island | PS1522-1533.
United Empire Bank of Canada | PS1534-1535.
Western Bank of Canada | PS1536-1538.
Weyburn Security Bank | PS1539-1541.

## British West Indies issues

[edit]

In the British West Indies, Canadian bank notes circulated from 1900 to 1950 alongside notes of the Colonial Bank (later, Barclays Bank) and, in some places, notes of smaller denominations issued by local authorities.[9]

The following is a list of the Canadian banks that issued notes for circulation in the British West Indies, together with the dates and denominations of those issues.

List of Canadian Chartered Banks that issued notes

for circulation outside of Canada

Bank  | Dates of

Issues

| Denominations
Canadian Bank of Commerce
\- Barbados  | 1922 and 1940  | $5, $20, $100
\- Jamaica  | 1921 and 1938  | £1, £5
\- Trinidad  | 1921 and 1939  | $5, $20, $100
Bank of Nova Scotia
\- Jamaica  | 1900, 1919,

1920 and 1930

| £1, £5
Royal Bank of Canada [10]
\- Antigua  | 1913, 1920

and 1938

| $5
\- Barbados  | 1909, 1920

and 1938

| $5, $20, $100
\- British Guiana  | 1913, 1920

and 1938

| $5, $20, $100
\- Dominica  | 1913, 1920

and 1938

| $5
\- Grenada  | 1909, 1920

and 1938

| $5
\- Jamaica  | 1911 and 1938  | £1, £5
\- St Kitts  | 1913, 1920

and 1938

| $5
\- St Lucia  | 1920  | $5
\- Trinidad  | 1909, 1920

and 1938

| $5, $20, $100
Union Bank of Halifax
\- Trinidad  | 1905  | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100

## Spurious or Expired Banks

[edit]

The following banks issued notes that cannot be exchanged for current Canadian dollar banknotes.[11]

Bank | Catalog numbers

|

Bank of Acadia | PS1542–1545
Accommodation Bank | PS1546–1547
Agricultural Bank, Montreal | PS1548–1550
Agricultural Bank, Toronto | PS1551–1564
Arman's Bank | PS1565–1567
Banque de Boucherville (Bank of Boucherville)  | PS1568
Bank of Brantford | PS1569–1576
British Canadian Bank | PS1577–1578
Canada Bank, Montreal | PS1579–1580
Canada Bank, Toronto | PS1581–1583
Bank of Canada, Montreal[a] | PS1584–1595
Banque Canadienne (Canadian Bank)  | S1596–1599
Central Bank of Canada | PS1600–1602
Central Bank of New Brunswick | PS1603–1617
Charlotte County Bank | PS1618–1622
Bank of Charlottetown | PS1623–1625

## See also

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* Banks portal

* Bank of Canada
* Canadian pound
* Central banks and currencies of the Caribbean
* Commonwealth banknote-issuing institutions
* Currencies of the British West Indies

## Notes

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1. ^ Unrelated to the current Bank of Canada.

## References

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1. ^ See Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1871, chapter 5; Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1944, chapter 30, section 61. For a complete catalogue of Canadian chartered bank note issues, see R. J. Graham (ed.), Canadian Bank Notes, 9th ed., The Charlton Press, Toronto, 2019
2. ^ See An Act to amend the Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1899, c. 14
3. ^ Bank of Canada Act, Statutes of Canada, 1934, chapter 43, section 24
4. ^ See An Act to amend the Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1944, chapter 30, section 61.
5. ^ Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1871, chapter 5, section 8.
6. ^ Bank Act, Statutes of Canada, 1880, chapter 22, section 12(2).
7. ^ The list includes some banks and other institutions that issued notes prior to the establishment of Canada in 1867 and the enactment of the first Bank Act in 1871.
8. ^ It is uncertain whether these notes were ever put into circulation.
9. ^ For a history of these issues, see Michael H. Ryan, "Canadian Banknotes for the British West Indies, 1900-1950", International Bank Note Society Journal, vol. 58, no. 1 (2019), pp. 22-35. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3700505 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3700505
10. ^ The 1920 and 1938 issues were also denominated in sterling: $5 = £1.0.10; $20 = £4.3.4; $100 = £20.16.8. Not all notes are known in issued form.
11. ^ Cuhaj, George S., ed. (18 December 2013). "Canada". Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Specialized Issues (12th ed.). Iola: Krause Publications. pp. 179–180\. ISBN 978-1-4402-3883-3.