Catalog
1 Dollar = 1 Piastre
| Issuer | Army Bill Office |
|---|---|
| Year | 1813 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Manuscript serial number, Marginal denomination underprint |
| Protection description | Handwritten serial number repeated at top and bottom of the note; repeated manuscript denomination text in the left margin serving as a primitive security underprint |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Army Bills were issued by the British military administration in the Canadas to fund operations during the War of 1812, when the blockade effectively severed the supply of specie. The Army Bill Office in Quebec operated under the authority of the Commander of the Forces — not a civilian bank — which makes this one of the few genuinely military-issued paper currencies in North American history. Redemption was guaranteed by the British government, which gave the bills unusual credibility and allowed them to circulate at par with coin, something virtually no other colonial paper managed.
The manuscript serial number was applied by hand at the time of issue — clerical staff at the Quebec office signed and numbered each note individually.