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100 Dollars
| Issuer | Bank of British North America, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Year | 1861-1872 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse bears the bank title "The Bank of British North America" in bold serif lettering across the upper register, flanked by large numeral "100" counters within ornate guilloche ovals at left and right. The central vignette presents the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom surmounted by a crown, with a lion and unicorn as supporters, accompanied by the inscription "Incorporated by Royal Charter". Two allegorical cherub vignettes occupy the lower left and right corners, while the promise text "The Bank will pay the Bearer on demand One Hundred Dollars" appears in an intaglio panel across the centre, with a manuscript date of 15 August 1861 below. |
|---|---|
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| Variants | P#S406a - 1.8.1861; 15.8.1865 P#S406b - 5.9.1861; 22.1.1871 P#S406p1 - Proof. 22.11.1866 P#S406p2 - Proof. 15.4.1872 P#S406s - Specimen. 15.8.1861 |
| Comments |
The Bank of British North America was a London-chartered institution operating branches across what would become Canada, and its Victoria branch served the colonial economy of British Columbia during the Fraser River and Cariboo gold rush years. A $100 denomination in this period was a significant commercial instrument — not retail currency, but the kind of paper that moved between merchants, mining outfitters, and land speculators.
The American Bank Note Company in New York handled security printing for numerous colonial issuers during this period, and the quality of engraving on BBNA notes is consistently high. British Columbia did not join Confederation until 1871, meaning notes issued through much of this series circulated under colonial rather than Dominion authority.
Survivors from Victoria branch issues of this era are genuinely rare.