About the note
This note marks the first appearance of Sir William Lyon Mackenzie King on a bank note. He has since appeared three times on our fifty‑dollar bill. The portrait was engraved by George Gundersen of the British American Bank Note Company and is based on a photograph taken by Yousuf Karsh.
The back vignette was the third image proposed for this note. A frozen cottage‑country lake and a ballet scene were earlier choices. The note was planned to be printed in orange, but it proved to be too problematic a colour; the ink carried heavy metals and the colour showed images poorly. Red has been the signature colour of the $50 bill ever since. The back vignette was printed using five lithographic plates carrying yellow, red, green, blue and black ink, producing the appearance of a full‑colour image. The plates were prepared by Yves Baril, an engraver from the Canadian Bank Note Company. It is the first Canadian note with a lithographic back vignette.
At a glance
- Portrait: Sir William Lyon Mackenzie King
- Date of issue: March 31, 1975
- Last day issued: February 21, 1994
- Signatures:
- Deputy Governors Ruston W. Lawson and John W. Crow
- Governor Gerald K. Bouey
- Dimensions: 15.2 cm x 7 cm
- Design: Thomas De La Rue Company Ltd.
- Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd.
- Status: legal tender
