About the note
All but two notes in this series carry a portrait of King George VI. The same portrait appears on the First series’ $50 note. Robert Savage of the American Bank Note Company (ABN) engraved the King’s portrait after a photograph by Bertram Park of Marcus Adams Ltd. in London, England. In the image, the King is wearing an admiral’s uniform. Though he was initially in the Navy during the First World War, he switched to the Royal Air Force in 1918 and became the first in his family to learn to fly.
This note retained the green colour and the vignette from the First series—all future 1-dollar notes would be green. The vignette on the back is an allegory—an image that represents a theme or virtue. The allegory on this note is agriculture, illustrated by the lush background, garden implements, wheat sheaf and a horn of plenty overflowing with harvest vegetables. The engraving was by Will Jung after a painting by Alonzo Foringer—both of ABN. Agriculture was, and is, a key component of the Canadian economy.
At a glance
- Portrait: King George VI
- Date of issue: July 19, 1937
- Last day of issue: December 31, 1954
- Signatures:
- Deputy Governors James A. C. Osborne, Donald Gordon and James E. Coyne
- Governor Graham F. Towers
- Dimensions: 15.2 cm x 7.2 cm
- Design: Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd., British American Bank Note Company Ltd., American Bank Note Company Ltd.
- Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd.
- Status: not legal tender
