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1 Sou Belleville - 18 cherry leaves / 7 shamrocks
| Issuer | Lower Canada |
|---|---|
| Year | 1835-1838 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Sou (1⁄480) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central design features a large bouquet of mixed flora tied at the base with a ribbon, incorporating shamrocks, cherry branches with leaves, and other foliage rendered in moderate relief. The arrangement rises prominently from the lower field and fills the majority of the coin's face. A beaded border encircles the periphery. The circular legend reads: AGRICULTURE & COMMERCE above and BAS CANADA below, separated by dot stops. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | TOKEN UN SOU MONTREAL |
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| Additional information |
The Belleville tokens take their name from the Belleville, Ontario foundry where many were produced, though their precise attribution has been disputed among Canadian token specialists for generations. This particular variety — distinguished by its 18 cherry leaves and 7 shamrocks — is one of several die combinations documented under the Breton series, the minor variations in leaf and shamrock count being the primary means of differentiating what were otherwise interchangeable pieces flooding Lower Canada's chronically coin-starved economy during the 1830s.
Their legal standing was always precarious. The Legislative Assembly repeatedly attempted to suppress private copper tokens, but merchant demand consistently outpaced official supply from London.