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.
The previous $20 bill was pink, but for 1937, it was changed to the green that we now see on our $20 notes. Although the classical figure on the back appears to be part of another harvest allegory, the vignette actually represents the theme of fertility. The two themes are closely related. Fertility is a crucial aspect of a successful harvest for both animals and crops. The image was engraved by Robert Savage, based on an illustration by Alonzo Foringer—both of ABN.
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.
- Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd.
- Status: legal tender
