Catalog
50 Dollars
| Issuer | Bank of British North America, St. John, New Brunswick |
|---|---|
| Year | 1866 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Printed in black intaglio on white paper, the obverse centres on a large numeral '50' flanked by the Royal Arms vignette with lion and unicorn supporters, with allegorical female figures in oval vignettes to either side — a standing figure at left and a seated figure with harbour scene at right. Four corner panels carry the denomination legend 'FIFTY DOLLARS', and the promise text reads 'This Bank will pay the Bearer on demand Fifty Dollars at St. John, New Brunswick', with a manuscript date of 1st September 1866. |
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| Obverse lettering | THE BANK OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA FIFTY DOLLARS 50 This Bank will pay the Bearer on demand Fifty Dollars AT St. JOHN, New Brunswick 1st September 1866 INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER ST. JOHN |
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| Comments |
The Bank of British North America was a London-chartered institution operating branches across the Canadian colonies, and by 1866 it was navigating an awkward transitional moment — Confederation was a year away, and the political status of New Brunswick was actively in flux. This note was issued from the St. John branch at precisely the moment local merchants were debating whether union with Canada served their commercial interests.
The American Bank Note Company in New York handled security printing for numerous British colonial banks during this period, a practical arrangement that occasionally unsettled London directors uncomfortable with their notes being produced on the wrong side of the Atlantic. The St. John branch designation distinguishes this from otherwise identical BBNA plates used at Halifax and Montreal.