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Canadian chartered bank notes facts for kids

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Between 1871 and 1944, Canadian chartered banks were authorized to issue bank notes for circulation in Canada. In 1899, they were invested with the additional authority to issue bank notes for circulation in any British colony or possession. For several decades thereafter, the chartered banks were the only issuers of larger denominated notes for circulation in Canada, and an important source of notes for circulation in the British West Indies.

In 1934, the newly established Bank of Canada was given "the sole right to issue notes payable to bearer on demand". Coincident with the introduction of the new Bank of Canada notes in 1935, arrangements were made for the gradual contraction in the quantity of chartered bank notes in circulation. As of the end of 1944, the Canadian government withdrew permission for Canadian banks to issue new notes for circulation in Canada; and by 1950, liability for all outstanding Canadian bank notes was transferred to the Bank of Canada, where such notes may still be redeemed. The total value of the notes outstanding at that time was $13,302,046.60.

Domestic issues

Notes for circulation in Canada were issued in a variety of different denominations, including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 dollars. In 1871, the smallest denomination allowed was 4 dollars, which was raised to 5 dollars in 1880.

The following is a list of banks with note-issuing privileges and the periods during which they issued notes in Canada. The end dates are the dates appearing on the last note issues, but notes may have circulated for some time after.

CAN-S1669-Colonial Bank of Canada, Toronto-4 Dollars (1859)
Colonial Bank of Canada, Toronto, 1859, $4.. Standing Justice (left) and portrait of Queen Victoria (centre). Obverse
96 1 b
Bank of Hamilton, 1892, $5
Canadian Bank of Commerce, Trinidad, 1939, $5
Canadian Bank of Commerce, Trinidad, 1939, $5
Royal Bank of Canada, Trinidad, 1920, $20 or £4.3.4
Royal Bank of Canada, Barbados, 1938, $20 or £4.3.4. Obverse
Bank of Nova Scotia, Jamaica, 1930, £1
Bank of Nova Scotia, Jamaica, 1930, £1. Obverse
Royal Bank of Canada $5 (1943)
The RBC 1943 $5 note was the last note issued by a chartered bank in Canada.


List of Canadian Chartered Banks that issued notes

for circulation in Canada

Bank Dates of Issues
Agricultural Bank 1834-1837
Arman's Bank 1837
Bank of Acadia 1872
Bank of Brantford 1859
Bank of British Columbia 1862-1894
Bank of British North America 1852-1911
Bank of Canada (commercial) 1818-1823
Bank of Charlottetown 1852
Bank of Clifton 1859-1861
Bank of Fredericton 1837-1838
Bank of Hamilton 1872-1922
Bank of Liverpool 1871
Bank of London 1883
Bank of Lower Canada 1839-1851
Montreal Bank/
Bank of Montreal
1817-1942
Bank of New Brunswick 1820-1906
Bank of Nova Scotia 1834-1935
Bank of Ottawa 1874-1913
Bank of Prince Edward Island 1856-1877
Bank of the County of Elgin 1856
Bank of Toronto 1856-1937
Bank of Upper Canada 1819-1861
Bank of Vancouver 1910
Bank of Western Canada 1859
Bank of Yarmouth 1860-1891
Banque Canadienne 1836
Banque Nationale/
Banque Canadienne Nationale
1860-1935
Banque du Peuple 1835-1892
Banque de St. Hyancinthe 1874-1892
Banque de St. Jean 1873-1906
Banque d'Hochelaga 1874-1920
Banque Internationale de Canada 1862-1895
Banque Provinciale du Canada 1900-1936
Banque St. Jean Baptiste 1875
Banque Ville Marie 1873-1889
Barclays Bank Canada 1929-1935
Canada Bank Company 1792
Canadian Bank of Commerce 1867-1935
Central Bank of Canada 1884
Central Bank of New Brunswick 1847-1860
Charlotte County Bank 1852-1859
City Bank 1833-1857
City Bank, Saint John, New Brunswick 1836-1838
Colonial Bank of Canada 1859
Colonial Bank of Chatham 1837
Commercial Bank 1834
Commercial Bank 1837
Canadian Commercial Bank 1857-1891
Commercial Bank of Montreal 1835-1836
Commercial Bank of New Brunswick 1837-1860
Commercial Bank of the Midland District 1832-1854
Commercial Bank of Windsor 1860-1898
Consolidated Bank of Canada 1876
Crown Bank of Canada 1904
Dominion Bank 1871-1938
Eastern Bank of Canada 1929
Eastern Townships Bank 1859-1906
Exchange Bank 1839-1844
Exchange Bank of Canada 1872-1873
Exchange Bank of Canada, Windsor 1864
Exchange Bank of Toronto 1855
Exchange Bank of Yarmouth 1869-1902
Farmers Bank of Canada 1907-1908
Farmers' Bank of Rustico 1864-1872
Farmers' Bank of St. Johns 1837-1839
Farmers' Joint Stock Banking Company 1835-1849
Federal Bank of Canada 1874-1884
Goderich Bank 1834
Gore Bank 1836-1856
Halifax Banking Company 1825-1898
Hart's Bank 1837-1838
Henry's Bank 1837
Home Bank of Canada 1904-1920
Hudson's Bay Company 1820-1870
Imperial Bank of Canada 1875-1939
International Bank of Canada 1858-1859
Kingston Bank 1837-1843
MacDonald and Co. 1863
Maritime Bank of the Dominion of Canada 1873-1882
Mechanics Bank 1872
Mercantile Banking Corporation 1878
Merchants Bank of Canada 1868-1919
Merchants Bank of Halifax 1864-1899
Merchants Bank of Prince Edward Island 1871-1900
Merchants Exchange Bank 1853
Metropolitan Bank, Montreal 1872
Metropolitan Bank 1902-1912
Molsons Bank 1837-1922
New Castle District Loan Company 1836
Newcastle Banking Company 1836
Niagara District Bank 1854-1872
Niagara Suspension Bridge Bank 1836-1841
Northern Bank 1905
Northern Crown Bank 1908-1914
Ontario Bank 1857-1898
People's Bank of Halifax 1864-1903
People's Bank of New Brunswick 1864-1905
Pictou Bank 1874-1882
Provincial Bank of Canada 1856
Quebec Bank 1818-1911
Royal Bank of Canada 1901-1943
Royal Canadian Bank 1865-1872
Saint Francis Bank 1850
Sovereign Bank of Canada 1902-1907
St. Lawrence Bank 1872
St. Stephens Bank 1830-1903
Stadacona Bank 1874
Standard Bank of Canada 1876-1924
Sterling Bank of Canada 1906-1921
Summerside Bank of Prince Edward Island 1866-1900
Tattersall Bank 1830
Traders Bank of Canada 1885-1910
Union Bank 1838
Union Bank of Canada 1886-1921
Union Bank of Halifax 1861-1909
Union Bank of Lower Canada 1866-1871
Union Bank of Montreal 1840
Union Bank of Prince Edward Island 1864-1877
United Empire Bank of Canada 1906
Western Bank of Canada 1882-1890
Westmorland Bank 1854-1861
Weyburn Security Bank 1911
Zimmerman Bank 1854-1856

British West Indies issues

In the British West Indies, Canadian bank notes circulated from 1900 to 1950 alongside notes of the Colonial Bank (later, Barclays Bank) and, in some places, notes of smaller denominations issued by local authorities.

The following is a list of the Canadian banks that issued notes for circulation in the British West Indies, together with the dates and denominations of those issues.

List of Canadian Chartered Banks that issued notes

for circulation outside of Canada

Bank Dates of

Issues

Denominations
Canadian Bank of Commerce
- Barbados 1922 and 1940 $5, $20, $100
- Jamaica 1921 and 1938 £1, £5
- Trinidad 1921 and 1939 $5, $20, $100
Bank of Nova Scotia
- Jamaica 1900, 1919,

1920 and 1930

£1, £5
Royal Bank of Canada
- Antigua 1913, 1920

and 1938

$5
- Barbados 1909, 1920

and 1938

$5, $20, $100
- British Guiana 1913, 1920

and 1938

$5, $20, $100
- Dominica 1913, 1920

and 1938

$5
- Grenada 1909, 1920

and 1938

$5
- Jamaica 1911 and 1938 £1, £5
- St Kitts 1913, 1920

and 1938

$5
- St Lucia 1920 $5
- Trinidad 1909, 1920

and 1938

$5, $20, $100
Union Bank of Halifax
- Trinidad 1905 $5, $10, $20, $50, $100

See also

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