The Museum Blog

• May 22, 2025

  Speculating on the piggy bank

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  Ever since the first currencies allowed us to store value, we’ve needed a special place to store those shekels, drachmae and pennies. And the piggy bank—whether in pig form or not—has nearly always been there.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, Business, Economics, English language arts, Financial literacy, Geography, Health, History, Math, Science Grade level(s): Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• February 26, 2025

  New acquisitions—2024 edition

  By: David Bergeron, Krista Broeckx

  
  

  

  Bank of Canada Museum’s acquisitions in 2024 highlight the relationships that shape the National Currency Collection.

  Content type(s): Blog posts
• February 11, 2025

  Money’s metaphors

  By: Phillipe Audet-Cayer, Graham Iddon, Patricia Marando

  
  

  

  Buck, broke, greenback, loonie, toonie, dough, flush, gravy train, born with a silver spoon in your mouth… No matter how common the expression for money, many of us haven’t the faintest idea where these terms come from.

  Content type(s): Blog posts
• August 6, 2024

  Treaties, money and art

  By: Krista Broeckx, Frank Shebageget

  
  

  

  The Bank of Canada Museum’s collection has a new addition: an artwork called Free Ride by Frank Shebageget. But why would a museum about the economy buy art?

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, History
• July 16, 2024

  Rai: big money

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  An item is said to have cultural value when it can be directly associated with the history, people, beliefs or rituals important to a society. It’s the same with a rai—its value can be greater depending upon who authorized it, who carved it and who subsequently owned it.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics, Geography, History Grade level(s): Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• April 18, 2024

  Lessons from the Great Depression

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  What the stock market crash of 1929 did was starkly reveal the weaknesses of economic systems that had evolved from the unregulated capitalism of the late 19th century.

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy, History Grade level(s): Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
• March 25, 2024

  Welcoming Newfoundland to Canada

  By: David Bergeron

  
  

  

  Newfoundland’s entry into Confederation marked the end of an era when Canadian provinces issued their own coins and paper money.

  Content type(s): Blog posts
• December 19, 2023

  New Acquisitions—2023 Edition

  By: David Bergeron, Krista Broeckx

  
  

  

  It’s that time of the year again—the wrap-up of the Bank of Canada Museum’s annual acquisition program. Here are a few highlights of the latest additions to the National Currency Collection.

  Content type(s): Blog posts
• November 27, 2023

  Mo’ money, mo’ questions

  By: Heather Montgomery

  
  

  

  But what do you do with money once you have it? That’s for you to decide. A budget can really help. It will allow you to keep track of what you earn (income) and what you spend (expenses).

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 04, 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
• November 16, 2023

  Understanding cryptocurrencies

  By: Graham Iddon

  
  

  

  Most of us are aware of them, but how much do we really understand about cryptocurrencies?

  Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics, Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5