Catalog
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| 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 |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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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.