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1/2 Penny / 1 Sou Quebec Bank
| Issuer | Quebec Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1837 |
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| Value | 1 Sou = 1/2 Penny (1⁄480) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field features a full-length standing figure of a habitant — a French-Canadian settler — depicted facing slightly left, dressed in a long coat, sash, and moccasins, holding a staff or walking stick in his left hand with his right arm extended outward. The figure stands on a ground line and is rendered in fine relief. The surrounding legend reads PROVINCE DU BAS CANADA along the upper arc, with UN SOU divided at the lower arc, all separated by a beaded inner border. The coin's periphery is also bounded by a beaded rim. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Central device consists of an oval shield bearing a saltire (diagonal cross) with floral emblems — a rose, thistle, and shamrock — in the quarters, surmounted by a beaver at the base, representing the City of Quebec arms. The shield is encircled by the motto CONCORDIA SALUS (salvation through harmony). Flanking the shield is a wreath of oak and laurel branches. The legend BANK TOKEN arcs across the upper field, while QUEBEC BANK appears on a ribbon flanking the lower shield. The date 1837 and denomination HALF PENNY. are inscribed in the exergue, with a beaded border encircling the entire design. |
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| Additional information |
The Quebec Bank tokens of 1837 were issued during a period of acute monetary crisis in Lower Canada — the Legislative Assembly had suspended specie payments and the resulting small-change shortage forced private banks to flood circulation with copper tokens. The Quebec Bank, chartered in 1818, was one of several institutions that moved quickly to fill the gap.
LC-8B specifically is distinguished from its near-identical siblings by die characteristics documented in the Leroux and Courteau classifications — token collectors should consult Breton's attribution carefully, as the series variants are frequently conflated at auction.