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5 Dollars/Piastres
| Issuer | Union Bank, Montreal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1838 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | P#S1973 |
| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in black on white cotton paper and carries a central vignette of two allegorical figures flanking a shield, with the numeral 5 in ornate counters at left and right. At upper left, the date and place of issue read MONTREAL and LOWER CANADA, while the bilingual text body below states the promise to pay FIVE Dollars / CINQ Piastres on demand, rendered in both English and French. The vertical left border carries the word FIVE in large letterpress, and the vertical right border reads CINQ PIASTRES; two manuscript signatures appear at the lower portion, identified as the Cashier and President. |
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in blue-green ink and carries an elaborate geometric lathe-work design composed of multiple large circular guilloche rosettes arranged symmetrically across the note, with small vignettes of a sailing vessel and a stag interspersed among them. A central rectangular panel contains additional intricate engine-turned patterning, and the words FIVE and DOLLARS are rendered in ornate lettering within the guilloche framework. The overall design relies entirely on complex mechanical engraving with no pictorial central scene, serving as an anti-counterfeiting measure typical of North American private bank notes of the 1830s. |
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| Protection type | Intricate lathe-work guilloche |
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