{"product_id":"octw2-kb2973","title":"Group Lot of 13x Canada 1850s Bank Tokens, About Good to Very Good, 13pcs","description":"Group Lot of 13x Canada 1850s Bank Tokens, About Good to Very Good, 13pcs\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\u003eIn 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!","brand":"Colonial Acres Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53654740140321,"sku":"Oct.Week2.P2-KB2973","price":24.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/1744\/7457\/files\/KB2973.jpg?v=1791490276","url":"https:\/\/www.colonialacres.com\/products\/octw2-kb2973","provider":"Colonial Acres Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}