Colonial Acres Coins
SKU: SKU:Oct.Week2.P2-KB2973
Group Lot of 13x Canada 1850s Bank Tokens, About Good to Very Good, 13pcs
Group Lot of 13x Canada 1850s Bank Tokens, About Good to Very Good, 13pcs
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Group Lot of 13x Canada 1850s Bank Tokens, About Good to Very Good, 13pcs
Since 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.
Enter: 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.
In 1858, the Province of Canada adopted a new currency based on the decimal system of the American dollar (as opposed to pounds and shillings, like Britain). Tokens promptly died out. They remain interesting and sought-after collector's pieces!
Since 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.
Enter: 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.
In 1858, the Province of Canada adopted a new currency based on the decimal system of the American dollar (as opposed to pounds and shillings, like Britain). Tokens promptly died out. They remain interesting and sought-after collector's pieces!
