Skip to content
  • FR
FR
  • About us
    Building, illuminated glass towers on either side of an old, square, stone building.

    About us

    We're here to help you understand what the Bank of Canada does and how it matters to you.

    About the Bank of Canada

    Find out what the Bank does, who runs the Bank and how it is separate from the political process.

    Connect with us

    We'd love to hear from you! Contact us by email, phone or mail—or join us on social media.

  • Visit

    Visit

    • Plan your visit
    • Accessibility and special needs
    • Code of conduct
    • COVID-19 protocols

    Plan your visit

    Here's what you need to know, how to make the most of your visit and where to find us.

    Sensory Sundays

    For Autism Awareness Month, the Museum will provide a sensory-friendly experience every Sunday.

  • Explore

    Exhibitions

    • Permanent exhibition
    • Special exhibitions
    • Travelling exhibitions
    • Past exhibitions

    Blog

    Collection

    • About the Collection
    • Collection Services
    • Canadian Bank Notes Series
    • Search the Collection
    Collage, photo of wild west street, old bank notes, old counterfeiting brochure.

    Security is in the bank note

    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.

  • Learn

    Learn

    • Activities and games
    • Education blog
    • External resources
    • Lesson plans
    • School programs
    • Video discussion guides

    Needs or wants? That is the question!

    Do you need it, or do you want it? That’s an important question to ask before buying anything. This activity is designed to teach kids how to prioritize their needs and wants, and how to make informed choices when shopping.

    Price check: Inflation in Canada

    All about inflation: what it is, what it means and how it's measured. Students will learn how the consumer price index is calculated and create their own student price index to measure the prices that matter most to them.

Notice of temporary closure
The Museum will be closed on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30 for maintenance.
  • Home
  • The Museum Blog

A Field Trip to Montréal and the MTM Auction: 2

By: Paul S. Berry


November 15, 2016

Paul engages the competition

When we left our Chief Curator, he was sitting in a Montréal auction room politely observing a fast sale of some very old French Canadian money. The bidding so far seemed low. He was feeling confident about his upcoming bids, but then he wasn’t the only person interested in those lots…

It’s the auctioneer’s job to get as high a price for an article possible.

The next lot, #13, a 24 livres card dated 1730, was the largest and most impressive piece of card money in the auction. After spirited bidding, it sold, for $28,000. This was quite a difference from the previous lot, but no matter, we already have an example in the National Currency Collection. What caused me grief, however, was that the underbidder of lot #13 became my competition for the next lot.

Several parties were bidding on lot #14 until it reached $10,000, at which point the contest was only between me and the gentleman who had underbid the previous lot. Holding our bidder numbers close to our chests we each looked toward the auctioneer as he called out bids in increments of $1,000. I nodded and the auctioneer cried, “Eleven thousand, onze mille,” followed immediately by “Twelve thousand, I have twelve thousand behind you sir.” I bid, “Thirteen thousand…” a pause. I thought, “Perhaps he dropped out.” “Fourteen thousand, quatorze mille.” “Damn, he didn’t.” I nodded again. “Fifteen thousand, quinze mille.” And then “Sixteen thousand.” I thought, “How high will he go? One last bid.” I nodded again and the auctioneer cried, “Seventeen thousand, dix-sept mille.” Then I heard the fateful words: “Eighteen thousand!” I thought, “That’s it. I’m out!” The auctioneer continued, “Eighteen thousand, I have eighteen thousand once, dix-huit mille deux fois.” The auctioneer paused as he surveyed the floor for more bids. “SOLD at eighteen-thousand!”

The audience clapped in appreciation. I sat still and waited for the next lot. This, though, was the only defeat I suffered. Over the next 15 or so minutes I spent in excess of $20,000—purchasing four unique pieces of early Canadian paper money.


1753, 24 livres. François Bigot, the last intendant of New France signed this note. After the war ended he was prosecuted for corrupt practices. (NCC 2016.44.2)



1759, 30 sols. This note was issued from Montréal after the fall of Québec City. Note how Québec has been crossed out and Montréal written above. (NCC 2016.44.3)


My purchases for the day included three rare pieces of French regime paper money and one unique piece of scrip issued by the Montréal post office. The French regime notes rarely appear on the market and are among Canada’s earliest paper money. The card for 12 livres was part of a series initiated in 1683 when the colonial government lacked sufficient funds to pay their troops.

The two later instruments, dated 1753 and 1759, respectively, are called billets d’ordonnance and were distributed during the ongoing wars between England and France. The large numbers issued and subsequently left unredeemed after 1760 led to a general mistrust of paper money in Canada that lasted until the 19th century.

The 15 pence note from the post office is only the second known to exist. The other, for 6 pence, is in the National Currency Collection. These notes were issued during the financial crisis of 1837 when the banks in Lower Canada ceased redeeming their notes in gold or silver. People hoarded coinage, and merchants were forced to issue bons, or private paper notes, to conduct business.


1837, 15 pence. Many bons included images of coins in their design to help people to identify their value. A silver Spanish colonial 2 real piece from Lima Peru is pictured on this note. (NCC 2016.44.4)



1747, 12 livres. Each denomination of card money was a different shape to assist those who could not read to identify the value. (NCC 2016.44.1)


Having finished bidding and eager to return to Ottawa to spend time with my family, I hurried out of the sale room. On Saturday afternoon the bus leaves Montréal for Ottawa every hour on the hour. By the time I reached the wicket the attendant would only sell me a ticket for the 3 o’clock bus. I took it and headed for Gate 18, arriving just in time to see the 2 o’clock bus backing out of the bay. Over the next hour I read, rested and was accosted by a man who offered to sell me his jacket for $70 to buy a ticket. A one-way ticket to Ottawa costs $40. In any event, I finally boarded the bus, arrived at the Ottawa station before 6:00 and caught a cab home.

Saturday, 14 May 2016 was no longer than any other day, but it felt as if I had accomplished more than usual. I had travelled over 250 miles, visited one of Canada’s great cities and spent loads of money (thankfully not my own) on four excessively rare notes that now can be shared with all Canadians. All in all not a bad day! What’s on for tomorrow?

We want to hear from you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to see?
Content type(s): Blog posts

Subscribe to The Museum Blog
The Museum Blog

March 22, 2023

Security is in the bank note

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, photo of wild west street, old bank notes, old counterfeiting brochure.
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.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 2, 2023

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.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, Education Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
January 20, 2023

New Acquisitions—2022 Edition

By: David Bergeron, Krista Broeckx


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.
Content type(s): Blog posts
December 6, 2022

Money: it’s a question of trust

By: Graham Iddon


Photo collage, parking meter, old bank notes and an early bank card.
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.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy
November 14, 2022

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.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): History Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 18, 2022

Positive notes

By: Krista Broeckx


The imagery on the Bank of Canada’s 1935 note series depicts the country’s rich industrial history.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): History
June 16, 2022

Army bills: Funding the War of 1812

By: David Bergeron, Graham Iddon


In 1812, British North America had no banks and little currency. With the prospect of war drying up supplies of coins, the government of Lower Canada decided to issue legal tender notes called “army bills” to pay for troops and supplies.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, History
May 5, 2022

Between tradition and technology

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, man at an easel, paintings of birds and a goose illustration with comments written on it.
What was proposed was a complete about-face from the philosophy behind recent security printing. If photocopiers could easily deal with the colours and designs of the current series, then the next series should be bold and simple.
Content type(s): Blog posts

More Info

30 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G9, CANADA
613‑782‑8914

  • Things to do

  • Plan your visit
  • Find educational resources
  • Search the Collection
  • Connect with us
  • Things to see

  • Canadian bank notes
  • Exhibitions
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Things to know

  • Accessibility and special needs
  • Code of conduct
  • COVID-19 protocols
  • Privacy
●●
Bank of Canada Museum

Visit the Bank of Canada web site ›

We use cookies to help us keep improving this website.

Accept and continue