This is the Bank of Canada’s portfolio. We’re very proud of it. Every denomination from every series on up to today can be found here. You can be proud as well: each of these notes represents a little bit of Canada, a bit of Canadian history and a bit of who we are. Please enjoy.
The Vertical Series
Our next $20 bank note
We’ve started the design process for the new $20 bank note featuring His Majesty King Charles III. See more about the new note and our design process.
Our next $5 bank note
On December 16, 2024, the Government of Canada announced that Terry Fox will feature on the new $5 note.
Series
The Frontiers Series
The paper money that’s not made of paper is our first series to be printed on a state-of-the-art polymer material that is both more resilient and harder to counterfeit.
The Canadian Journey Series
This first series for which the Canadian public was consulted was also the first to be designed on computers. It was rich with security features never before seen on Canadian notes.
The Birds of Canada Series
This series had simpler designs that more clearly showed the flaws in counterfeits created with digital scanning technology. Metallic, reflective features made their first appearance on these notes.
The Scenes of Canada Series
Counterfeiters were catching up, and new approaches were needed to foil them. The layering of colours and elegant, twisting geometric patterns were the key design features of this series.
The Canadian Landscape Series
The Bank of Canada undertook a completely new approach to Canadian note design after the accession of Queen Elizabeth II, an approach that represented a Canadian vision of itself.
The Bilingual Series
The release of this partly redesigned series of notes was prompted by the death of King George V in 1936 and new legislation requiring bilingual notes.
The First Series
Though not designed or produced by the Bank of Canada, this series was the first to be issued by our new central bank—going into circulation on the day it opened.
Commemorative Notes
Since issuing its first series of bank notes in 1935, the Bank of Canada has issued four commemorative bank notes. Each commemorative note marks an important milestone for the reigning monarch or a defining moment in Canadian history.
Because the commemorative notes were issued decades apart, they are very different in their features and design. The first, issued in 1935, mirrored the more Victorian sensibilities of its era, while the 1967 note reflected Canada’s growing sense of nationalism. The 2015 commemorative note showcased the latest in security technologies from the Frontiers series, as well as new visual elements. On July 1, 2017, Canada will proudly celebrate its 150th birthday. To mark this event, the Bank of Canada will issue a new and unique commemorative bank note.
The Canada 150 Commemorative Bank Note
Unveiled on 7 April 2017, this unique bank note celebrates the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation.
Frontiers Series $20 Commemorative Note
This note was issued on 9 September 2015 to honour Queen Elizabeth II as the longest-reigning sovereign in Canada’s modern era.
Canadian Landscape Series $1 Commemorative Note
This special note was issued in 1967 to celebrate the centennial of Canadian Confederation. It is a variant of the $1 bill from the Canadian Landscape series of 1954.
First Series $25 Commemorative Note
This special royal purple $25 note was issued on 6 May 1935 to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V.
