History
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September 16, 2021
A mythic metal: Some stories of gold coins
In 1896, three enterprising men struck gold in the Klondike region of the Yukon. Their story is just one of many that illustrates the allure of gold through the ages.
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August 19, 2021
Fur Trade Economics
Over its 350-year lifespan, the Hudson’s Bay Company has had an enormous impact on Canada’s economy and how the nation was settled.
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June 30, 2021
The house the Bank of Canada built
The Bank of Canada head office is two structures: the stone cube on Wellington Street and the glass structure that it is nestled into. Both are significant architectural landmarks.
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April 30, 2021
Mishap on the dollar
An image of a river of logs floating behind Parliament Hill has long lived in Canadian collective memory thanks to a bank note, the Scenes of Canada $1 bill.
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November 30, 2020
How Many Groats Are in a Noble?
For daily users of modern money, getting an understanding of the old British system of currency can be an act of confusion and wonder. But it’s also a peep into 13 centuries of European numismatic history.
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October 21, 2020
The Story Behind the Engraving
The men on the back of this bill were part of a small community of families, a summer hunting camp called Aulatsiivik on Baffin Island.
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October 5, 2020
If I Had a Million Dollars…I’d Be Reasonably Well Off
When the Barenaked Ladies released “If I Had a $1,000,000,” they could have considered themselves reasonably rich. And today? Well, there’s this inflation thing…
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July 16, 2020
Johnson’s Counterfeits
Johnson’s entire family, two girls and five boys, was involved in the counterfeiting operation: dad made the plates, the daughters forged the signatures and the boys were learning to be engravers.
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June 29, 2020
The Reluctant Bank Note
Among 1975 $50 bill’s various design proposals were three images, three thematic colours and even three printing methods.
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May 5, 2020
The “Streak of Rust” and the King of Newfoundland
Reid was on the verge of ruin, yet insisted on continuing railway construction. Suffering huge losses, and with no credit or cash resources, Reid issued wage notes to pay his employees.
