25 Cents CAN Banknote (1870-1923 Fractional Shinplaster Issue) 1923

25 Cents Canadian Dollar (Issued 1923)

Few fractional currency notes in the entire history of North American paper money carry the weight of the 1923 Dominion of Canada 25 Cent issue, the final printing of a series that began in 1870 and became widely known as the “shinplaster.” A currency expert encountering this note would immediately recognise its place as the last gasp of Canada’s fractional paper currency experiment, rendered obsolete within years of issue as the country moved firmly toward coin-based small denomination exchange. The bold allegorical engraving and the unmistakable green back printing by the Canadian Bank Note Company stand as a testament to the high standards of intaglio craftsmanship applied even to the smallest denominations of the era.

On the front, the note is dominated by a finely engraved central oval vignette depicting Britannia, the classical allegorical figure representing Britain and the British Empire, rendered in full armour with a plumed helmet, holding a trident in her right hand and bearing a shield, her figure rendered with exceptional depth and cross-hatched shadow work consistent with the finest intaglio engraving of the period. The heading across the upper portion of the note reads “THE DOMINION OF CANADA” in bold, prominent serif lettering, with the words “WILL PAY ON DEMAND” inscribed directly beneath. The denomination “25” appears prominently in large numerals in the upper left and lower left corners of the face, printed in the dark engraved ink characteristic of the overall note, while the words “TWENTY FIVE CENTS” run along both the top margin and the bottom panel in capital letters. To the left of the Britannia vignette, the numerals “25” are printed in a large, bold red overprint format, adding a striking colour contrast against the otherwise dark olive and cream tones of the front face. The serial number D045335 is printed in red to the left of centre, accompanied by the series designation “A-1” to the right of the central vignette. A circular seal reading “Department of Finance Canada” is visible to the right of the vignette. The note bears the printed date “OTTAWA, JULY 2nd 1923” and carries the authorisation text “AUTHORIZED BY R.S.C. CAP. 31.” Two manuscript-style facsimile signatures appear below the vignette, with the left signature identified as that of the Comptroller of Currency and the right as that of the Deputy Minister of Finance. The printer’s imprint “CANADIAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, LIMITED.” appears along the very bottom edge of the note in small capitals.

The reverse is printed entirely in a rich, deep green ink across a complex and densely layered guilloché pattern that fills the entire face of the note. At the centre, an elaborate rosette design radiates outward in concentric rings of fine interlocking lathe-work, with a detailed floral medallion at its core surrounded by progressively wider bands of geometric wave and scroll engraving. To the left and right of this central rosette, two symmetrical panels each display the numeral “25” in large bold white-reserved figures against the dark green ground, with the word “CENTS” appearing both above and below the numeral within each panel, framed by ornate scalloped and floriated borders. The numeral “25” also appears in a smaller format at the top centre of the reverse, and again at the bottom centre, providing denomination identification at four points around the note’s perimeter. The printer’s imprint “CANADIAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, LIMITED.” is printed in small lettering along the lower margin of the reverse. The paper shows age-related toning and fold lines consistent with a note that has passed through circulation, and the green ink retains strong vibrancy across the guilloché field.

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