Catalog
1 Dollar / Piastre
| Issuer | Bank of Lower Canada |
|---|---|
| Year | 1839-1851 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1817-1858) |
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| Obverse description | The centre of the note is dominated by an intaglio vignette of the British Royal Arms supported by a lion and a unicorn, surmounted by a crown, with the numeral "1" appearing on either side. At upper left and lower centre are small allegorical vignettes, while at the right a standing female figure in classical dress holds a staff. The issuer's name "Bank of Lower Canada" appears in large letterpress across the centre, with bilingual text reading "A demande Payez / UNE Piastre à l'ordre" below, and the place of issue "Quebec" also inscribed. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | LOWER CANADA Bank of Lower Canada ONE UNE |
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| Comments |
The Bank of Lower Canada was a short-lived institution chartered in 1836, operating through a period of profound political turbulence — the Rebellions of 1837–1838 had shaken confidence in Lower Canadian commerce, and many banks suspended specie payments during that stretch. That the bank survived into the 1850s at all reflects how quickly Montreal's merchant class rebuilt its financial footing after the unrest.
Rawdon, Wright & Hatch were among the most capable security printers in North America at the time, responsible for much of the early United States federal and state banknote output before eventually evolving into the American Bank Note Company in 1858. The bilingual denomination — Dollar and Piastre — reflects the dual English and French commercial culture the bank was obliged to serve.