{"product_id":"jdod-h074","title":"PC-3 1852 Province of Canada Quebec Bank Half Penny Token AU-UNC (AU55) (Impaired)","description":"PC-3 1852 Province of Canada Quebec Bank Half Penny Token AU-UNC (AU55) (Impaired)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince their formation in the 18th century, the Canadian colonies under Britain had suffered a chronic shortage of small coins.  The British did little to alleviate this, shipping occasional lots of worn-out coppers overseas that quickly dwindled as colonists struggled to do commerce.  By 1820, any coin that was roughly the right size could pass for a halfpenny -- be it English, American, French, Spanish, or anything in between.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnter: the bank token.  While the British would not supply the needed coinage, banks -- including the Bank of Montreal, the City Bank, La Banque du Peuple, and the Quebec Bank -- were permitted to issue penny and halfpenny tokens that were similar in weight and size to British copper coins.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the colonies united into the Province of Canada in 1858, the decimal system was adopted based on the American dollar.  Tokens promptly died out.  They remain interesting and sought-after collector's pieces!","brand":"Colonial Acres Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52162677113121,"sku":"xDOD-H074","price":138.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/1744\/7457\/files\/H074.jpg?v=1766432556","url":"https:\/\/www.colonialacres.com\/products\/jdod-h074","provider":"Colonial Acres Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}