1896-1924 Bank Legal Notes
Between 1896 and 1924 there was a need by the various chartered banks in Canada to transfer very large sums of money to each other.
In order to reduce the inconvenience of shipping such vast quantities of standard denomination notes (and to dissuede robbery during shipment),
these "Bank Legal" or "Bank Special" notes were printed for the Dominion of Canada.
As the text on each note states, "This note is good only in the hands of a bank to which The Bank Act Of Canada applies; and will be redeemed only
when presented by one of such banks". Subsequent series of these notes all contain variations of this statement as seen below.
Because of this, even if a note was stolen it could not be redeemed unless the person attempting redemption had the proper credentials.
Once the Bank of Canada was formed in 1935, all chartered banks were instructed to ship all Dominion of Canada notes (including all Bank Legals) to
the Bank of Canada for exchange to the newly printed Bank of Canada currency. All returned bank legal notes were then destroyed or defaced and archived
in the Bank of Canada's Currency Museum.
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1896 500 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-30
500 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Vingette of "Genius" with the Library of Parliament in the background.
Front Center - the Marquis of Lorne.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings, East Block.
Back - The Seal of Canada.
These notes were printed with no signatures.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was hand-signed.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1896 1,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-31
1,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Queen Victoria.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - The Seal of Canada.
These notes were printed with no signatures.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was hand-signed.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1896 5,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-32
5,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - John A. Macdonald.
Front Center - small beaver just above the bottom center of the note.
Front Right - None.
Back - The Seal of Canada at top center, "Classical motif" on a panel across the bottom center.
These notes were printed with no signatures.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was hand-signed.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1901 1,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-33
1,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Lord Roberts.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of either J.M. Courtney, T.C. Boville or J.C. Saunders; depending on who held the position of Receiver General when the notes were issued.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1901 5,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-34
5,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Queen Victoria.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of either J.M. Courtney, T.C. Boville or J.C. Saunders; depending on who held the position of Receiver General when the notes were issued.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1918 5,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-35
5,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Queen Victoria.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of either T.C. Boville or J.C. Saunders; depending on who held the position of Receiver General when the notes were issued.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1918 50,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-36
50,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - None.
Front Center - HM King George V and HM Queen Mary.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of either T.C. Boville or J.C. Saunders; depending on who held the position of Receiver General when the notes were issued.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1924 1,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-37
1,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Lord Roberts.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of J.C. Saunders.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1924 5,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-38
5,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Queen Victoria.
Front Center - None.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of J.C. Saunders.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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1924 50,000 Dollar Bank Legal
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DC-39
50,000 Dollar
Bank Legal
VIGNETTES:
Front Left - None.
Front Center - HM King George V and HM Queen Mary.
Front Right - None.
Back - None.
These notes were printed with the signature of J.C. Saunders.
Once the notes were received by the Finance Department each note was counter-signed by hand.
NOTE - Images are courtesy of the Bank of Canada Museum's National Currency Collection.
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