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4 Dollars Dominion of Canada
| Issuer | Dominion of Canada |
|---|---|
| Year | 1900 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1858-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is dominated by a finely engraved central vignette of the Ottawa Parliament Buildings and Library as seen from Nepean Point, with steamboats visible on the Ottawa River below and lush tree-covered cliffs framing the scene. Guilloche panels at left and right each bear the numeral "4" and the word "FOUR" in letterpress, with the denomination repeated in a decorative band across the top. The imprint of the American Bank Note Company, Ottawa, appears at the lower centre. |
| Reverse lettering | Dominion of Canada Four Dollars |
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| Comments |
The $4 denomination is a peculiarity of Canadian federal paper currency, and by 1900 it was already an anachronism. The denomination had persisted largely because a $4 note paired with a $1 note made a convenient $5 combination while keeping each piece under the $5 threshold relevant to certain banking regulations of the period. The Dominion Notes Act and chartered bank rules created these odd incentive structures.
This is one of the scarcest Dominion note denominations to survive in any quantity. The 1900 issue had a limited print run, and the $4 face value made redemption and destruction relatively painless for banks clearing small balances.
The American Bank Note Company had relocated its Canadian operations to Ottawa by this point, distinguishing these impressions from earlier runs produced in New York.