1935 Bank of Canada $2 Queen Mary English Series A Bill Note (G-VG+)

1935 Bank of Canada $2 Queen Mary English Series A Bill Note

1935 - The First Banknote Series

The Bank of Canada was founded in 1934 and given responsibility, through an Act of Parliament, to regulate the country's money supply and to "promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada." Accordingly, it was also given the exclusive right to issue bank notes. On 11 March 1935, the Bank of Canada issued its first series.

The notes were unilingual, and matching versions of all denominations were available in either French or English. Also unique to the series were a $25 and a $500 note. The series featured portraits of various royals and former Canadian prime ministers. On the backs of the notes were allegorical figures symbolizing Canada's growing agricultural, industrial, and commercial prosperity.

Design

The $2 note features a portrait of Queen Mary, wife of King George V. She is shown in evening dress wearing a diamond tiara and necklace. The Queen was photographed by British photographer Hay Wrighton, and the portrait was engraved by two different engravers - Will Ford of American Bank Note Company and Harry P. Daws on of British American Bank Note Company, the firm that printed the note.

On the back of the note is an allegorical figure representing transportation - Mercury with ships, trains and planes, created by British American Bank Note Company artists.

Packaging

1935 Bank of Canada $2 Queen Mary English Series A Bill Note comes in a protective clear holder in titled condition.

Specifications

Face Value: 2 dollars
Quantity Printed: 22,340,000
Serial Prefix: A
Cat. No.: BC-3
Variety: English
Printer: British American Bank Note Company (BABN)
Signatures: Osborne/Towers