Currency of the Bank of Canada (1986-1991)


This page shows examples of each major note which was issued for use between 1986 and 1991 by the Bank of Canada.
It does NOT cover minor varieties.
All of the currency designs displayed here were printed for circulation as legal tender.

NOTES:
1. Click on any photo to load a much larger version of the same photo.

2. You will find the Charlton Catalogue number listed at the top of the text box beside each set of images.
This web page makes references to various Charlton Numbers. The copyrights to these Numbering Systems are the property of CHARLTON INTERNATIONAL INC and have been used here with their written consent.

3. Because it is illegal to copy a photo of any banknote for the purposes of counterfeiting, the ability to 'right-click' and save these images has been disabled.


1986 Issue of Canadian Banknotes

The "Birds of Canada" Issue

The 1986 issue of Canadian banknotes reflected the Government's decision to discontinue the 1 dollar note in lieu of the new 1 dollar coin to be issued in 1987.
Although the existing supply of 1 dollar notes took three years to distribute, no new notes were produced.

Although the dominant colour of each denomination and the subjects of each portrait did not change, both sides of each denomination underwent a complete re-design.
Each portrait was enlarged and re-drawn. The back of each note featured a species of bird indigenous to Canada.
In addition, features were added to allow the blind to feed any note into a hand held device that could read its denomination. This feature took the form of a bar code printed beside the serial number on the back of each note. One more feature to assist those with vision problems are the larger and more distinct denomination counters.

An additional security feature was added to the 20, 50, 100 and 1000 dollar notes - a holographic rectangle above the denomination on the top left corner of the face.

Each note received a unique 7 digit "serial number" as well as a three letter prefix.
Each set of ten million notes were given a different series letter. Twenty-three different series letters were approved for use, so a total of 230 million possible notes could be printed for each denomination letter.
If more notes were required, an alternate denomination letter (or a second denomination letter) was used, and both the series letter and serial number sequences were re-started.
A three letter prefix was added to each serial number:
- The first character represents the printing company (BABN = A, B or C; CBN = E, F, G or H).
- The second character represents the denomination while the second letter represents the series.
- The third character represents the series (see table below for the list of series letters used).

Denomination
Printer/Denomination Letters Assigned
Replacement Letters Assigned
2 Dollar
AR, AU, BB, BG, BR, BU, CB, EB, EG
AR(X), BB(X), BR(X), EB(X)
5 Dollar
AN, EN, EO, EP, FN, FO, FP, GN, GO, GP, HN
EN(X), FN(X), AN(X)
10 Dollar
AD, AE, AT, BD, BE
AD(X), AT(X)
20 Dollar
AI, AS, AV, AW, AY, EI, ES, ES, EV, EW, EY
EI(X), AI(X)
50 Dollar
EH, FH, FM
EH(X)
100 Dollar
AI, AJ, BJ
AJ(X)
1000 Dollar
EK
EK(X)
A special series of notes were printed for the purpose of replacing notes which were damaged during production.
As damaged notes were discovered, replacement notes were inserted into the parcel. These notes can be distinguished from a standard note by the presence of the series letter "X" (the third character in the prefix).
BC-55a

2 Dollar
(Crow-Bouey)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Robin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (J.W. Crow) and the Governor (G.K. Bouey) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 2 Dollar Note (Thiessen-Crow)
BC-55b

2 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Robin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 2 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-55c

2 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Robin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-56a

5 Dollar
(Crow-Bouey)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Belted Kingfisher.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (J.W. Crow) and the Governor (G.K. Bouey) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 5 Dollar Note (Thiessen-Crow)
BC-56b

5 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Belted Kingfisher.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 5 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-56c

5 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Belted Kingfisher.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 5 Dollar Note (Knight-Thiessen)
BC-56d

5 Dollar
(Knight-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Belted Kingfisher.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1986 5 Dollar Note (Knight-Dodge)
BC-56e

5 Dollar
(Knight-Dodge)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings.
Back - Belted Kingfisher.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (D.A. Dodge) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-57a

10 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Osprey in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1989 10 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-57b

10 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Osprey in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1989 10 Dollar Note (Knight-Thiessen)
BC-57c

10 Dollar
(Knight-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Osprey in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-58a

20 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Library of Parliament.
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1991 20 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-58b

20 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Library of Parliament
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1991 20 Dollar Note (Knight-Thiessen)
BC-58c

20 Dollar
(Knight-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Library of Parliament
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1991 20 Dollar Note (Knight-Dodge)
BC-58d

20 Dollar
(Knight-Dodge)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Library of Parliament
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (D.A. Dodge) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-59a

50 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 50 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-59b

50 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 50 Dollar Note (Knight-Thiessen)
BC-59c

50 Dollar
(Knight-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 50 Dollar Note (Knight-Dodge)
BC-59d

50 Dollar
(Knight-Dodge)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Parliament Buildings with red ensign flag.
Back - Common Loon.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (D.A. Dodge) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-60a

100 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Centre block of the Parliament Buildings with Union Jack flying.
Back - Canada Goose in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 100 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-60b

100 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Centre block of the Parliament Buildings with Union Jack flying.
Back - Canada Goose in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 100 Dollar Note (Knight-Thiessen)
BC-60c

100 Dollar
(Knight-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Centre block of the Parliament Buildings with Union Jack flying.
Back - Canada Goose in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 100 Dollar Note (Knight-Dodge)
BC-60d

100 Dollar
(Knight-Dodge)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Centre block of the Parliament Buildings with Union Jack flying.
Back - Canada Goose in flight.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (M.D. Knight) and the Governor (D.A. Dodge) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.
BC-61a

100 Dollar
(Thiessen-Crow)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - North side of the centre block of the Parliament Buildings flying the Maple Leaf flag, showing the Library of Parliament.
Back - Landscape with Pine Grosbeak.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (G.G. Thiessen) and the Governor (J.W. Crow) were engraved onto the intaglio steel engraved plates prior to the printing, so there should be no variance in the location of each signature.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

1988 1000 Dollar Note (Bonin-Thiessen)
BC-61b

1000 Dollar
(Bonin-Thiessen)

VIGNETTES:
Front Center - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - North side of the centre block of the Parliament Buildings flying the Maple Leaf flag, showing the Library of Parliament.
Back - Landscape with Pine Grosbeak.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (B. Bonin) and the Governor (G.G. Thiessen) were applied via a separate lithograph printing process.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

APPENDIX A: Position Number Locations

Beginning with this issue the numbers on the front and back of each note were no longer plate numbers, but position numbers. These numbers indicate the location of each note on the plate matrix.

The locations of the Position Numbers on these notes can be found below:


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