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1/2 Penny / 1 Sou City Bank
| Issuer | City Bank (Montreal) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1837 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | PROVINCE DU BAS CANADA UN SOU (Translation: Province of Lower Canada One Sou) |
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| Additional information |
City Bank of Montreal issued this token in 1837, the same year Lower Canada erupted in armed rebellion against British colonial authority. The Patriote uprisings under Papineau had already destabilized commerce; chartered banks suspended specie payments that year, and the resulting coin shortage made privately issued copper tokens not merely convenient but essential to everyday trade. City Bank was one of several Montreal institutions to fill the vacuum.
The LC-8A designation places this within the Lower Canada token series meticulously documented by Courteau. Breton 522 is well-attested across collections, but die marriages within the type repay close examination.