Chartered Banknotes

Canadian Chartered Banks:

Since their origin with the 1817 Royal Charter granted to the Bank of Montreal, and until 1944 with their replacement with the singular Bank of Canada, Canadian Chartered banks satisfied the needs of the young nation’s economy by issuing banknotes against their holdings. Such Banknotes come in a variety of designs and denominations, many bearing common themes such as agriculture, progress, and the Royal family. While many local Chartered banks sprung up, issued banknotes, and disappeared immediately afterwards, others remain household names to this day. A partial, alphabetized and non-exhaustive list of chartered banknote-issuing entities follows:

The Bank of Acadia, The Agricultural Bank, Barclays Bank, The Bank of British Columbia, The Bank of Brantford, The City Bank, The Bank of Clifton, The Colonial Bank of Canada, Commercial Bank, The Exchange Bank, The Farmer's Bank, The Federal Bank of Canada, The Bank of Hamilton, The Bank of Hall, La Banque Jacques Cartier, The Bank of Lower Canada, Macdonald & Co., Mechanics Bank,  The Bank of Montreal, The Niagara District Bank, The Sovereign Bank of Canada, The Bank of Toronto, The Union Bank, The Bank of Vancouver, The Bank of Victoria, The Western Bank of Canada, The Bank of Yarmouth, The Zimmerman Bank.

The request for Chartered Bank’s Notes was so high that Banknote designers and printers bought advertisements in well-recognized publications such as this piece, from the 1857-1858 Canada Directory, Author’s Collection.