Collection: Lower Canada

Lower Canada (what is now Quebec) had the greatest number and variety of tokens in circulation. The Wellington tokens, a series of halfpenny and penny tokens with a bust of the duke of Wellington, appeared in about 1814. They were popular, and many varieties were issued locally after 1825. In 1825, a halfpenny of Irish design was imported; its popularity resulted in its being imitated in brass, copies of which are very plentiful. In 1832, an anonymous halfpenny of English design appeared and was extensively imitated in brass. Counterfeits of worn-out English and Irish George III coppers also circulated in large numbers. These counterfeits were called “blacksmith tokens” as they were popularly believed to have been struck by a Montreal blacksmith to pay for his drink. This period ended in 1835, when the banks refused to accept such nondescript copper, except by weight.

The Bank of Montreal circulated sous or halfpennies with a bouquet of heraldic flowers on one side and the value in French on the other. These sous were immediately popular, and the government allowed the bank to supply Lower Canada with copper; however, the sous were very soon imitated anonymously. The imitations were accepted because there was a dearth of small change with which to conduct business; but they became too numerous and, once again, the banks had to refuse them, except by weight.

To replace them, the government authorized four banks — the Bank of Montreal, the Quebec Bank, the City Bank and La Banque du Peuple — to issue copper pennies and halfpennies with the arms of Montreal on one side and a standing habitant on the other. These coins arrived in Canada just as the rebellion of 1837 began and were issued in 1838.