Print dies and an engraver’s View of Canada
The British American Bank Note Company head office and plant located at 975 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa. 1948–2012.
In 2012, BA International Inc., formerly known as the British American Bank Note Company (BABN), closed its doors on Gladstone Avenue in Ottawa, ending a tradition of security printing in Canada dating back to 1866. Founded in Montréal by George Burland and W.C. Smillie, BABN was one of Canada’s principal security printers, producing secure documents for government and commercial clients alike. Products included passports, bank notes, share certificates, bonds, stamps and lottery tickets to name but a few.
In May 2013, staff of the Bank of Canada Museum visited BABN and were able to select for the National Currency Collection more than 650 steel dies (small, engraved metal or “intaglio” plates) and other production tools formerly used by the company to prepare the intaglio printing plates. The group included machine etched borders or lathework and numerals or counters. But the bulk of the selection consisted of hand engraved images of landscapes and people. Most are quite small, measuring roughly four by three inches. These were the heart of the security printer’s trade.
Traditionally, the intaglio printing process put the “security” in security printing. Commercial printing techniques could not match exactly the tactile feel of raised ink transferred under pressure from steel plates incised with intricate and artistic designs.
We thank BA International and their parent company Giesecke & Devrient for their generous donation to the National Currency Collection. It is deeply appreciated. These tools are not only an important link to BABN and the many government and commercial contracts it handled in times of peace and adversity, but also a testament to the beauty of the engraver’s art. What’s more, they are a record of times past through which we catch glimpses of the march of time in Canada.
Die #134, “Forest Scene”. This note was issued by the Department of the Interior in 1876. Called land scrip, these instruments were used to purchase land in the newly opened areas of western Canada. (NCC 2013.29.116) and (NCC 1977.180.1)
Die #482#2 shows a man in the fields on the back of a horse-drawn reaper-binder. Developed in the 1870s the reaper-binder cut wheat and tied it into bundles, freeing farm labour for other activities. (NCC 2013.29.412)
The Northern Crown Bank, $10, 1908. The use of this farming vignette on the bank note emphasizes the importance of this economic sector in early 20th century Canada. (NCC 1975.13.3)
The Museum Blog
A checkup on cheques
By: David Bergeron
With the continuing rise of e-transfers and electronic payments, people have been predicting the death of the humble cheque for decades. But it hasn’t happened yet.
The Scenes of Canada series $100 bill
By: Graham Iddon
Few of us ever get a chance to see a Scenes of Canada $100 bill. Which is a pity, because it is an example of great bank note design with even greater imagery by a master engraver.
Caring for your bank notes
By: Graham Iddon
Collecting paper money seems simple enough. But, paper is delicate stuff and demands a gentle touch.
Teaching math using money
By: Jonathan Jerome
From skip counting to making change, working with money is a great way for students to practice math skills.
Caring for your coins
By: Graham Iddon
Coin collecting can be a fun and fascinating hobby. But there are a few things you should know to keep your collection safe and in good condition. Because coins aren’t as robust as you might imagine.
Security is in the bank note
By: Graham Iddon
Security printing is a game of anticipating and responding to criminal threats. Counterfeiting is a game of anticipating and responding to bank note design. This cat and mouse relationship affects every aspect of a bank note.
Teaching art with currency
By: Adam Young
From design to final product, bank notes and coins can be used to explore and teach art, media and process.
New Acquisitions—2022 Edition
It’s a new year—the perfect time to look back at some notable artifacts the Museum added to the National Currency collection from 2022. Each object has a unique story to tell about Canada’s monetary and economic history.
Money: it’s a question of trust
By: Graham Iddon
The dollars and cents we use wouldn’t be worth anything to anybody if we didn’t have confidence in it. No matter if it’s gold or digits on a hard drive, public trust is the secret ingredient in a successful currency.
The day Winnipeg was invaded
By: David Bergeron
People on the street were randomly stopped and searched, and some were even arrested and imprisoned in an internment camp. Even German marks replaced Canadian currency in circulation—in the form of If Day propaganda notes.