1954 series tint variances

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

I have several notes of the 1954 series that have wildly different tints. For example, I have a $1 with a very dark green yet another with a relatively light green. The same for 5's and 10's especially. I came of age when the 1954 series was in issue and was always intrigued by this. I can't recall ever coming across any analysis or discussion of these differences. Personally, I've always prefer the darker tinted notes, and I value them slightly higher. I wonder if there has been any commentary about this?

From my own observations, the tints were most vibrant with the Devils Face notes and got progressively more subdued as we got further along into the Modified notes.

I too am a fan of the more vibrant colours which is what makes the bright blue $5s some of my favourites.

As for value, because they are not any more rare than any other notes, there would (should) be no impact to the value of any particular note beyond what is already accounted for in the catalogue.  Just my opinion... don't beat me up for it.

I wonder if there has been any commentary about this?

Not that i am aware of. I have never even noticed a difference so i'd have to check my 1954 notes. Its a really good observation. The only tint varieties that had been discussed and confirmed by the bank of Canada was on the 1974 $2 notes (prefix BC and BP which have both tints).

I too have seen a difference in the vibrancy of the early 1954 issues versus the last of that series issued in the 1970's.  As BWJM said, the colours seemed brighter on the earlier notes.  Yet another reason to get some Devil's Face notes... 

I wonder if a change in tints occurred after they switched to engraved signatures in 1968?

Dean
 

I think I tucked away a 1973 $1 (prefix NX) that had a noticeably darker tint than the other prefixes when perusing dealer stock.  What I really found interesting with the '54 series was not the tint differences but the placement of the Beattie-Coyne signatures ... lots of variation within the signature panel. There is a prefix transition where the signatures are perfectly placed due to a change in printing methods, but I never determined where this took place.

For me it's just a personal preference for the darker richer tones of those notes. Yes I agree that the tints seemed to get lighter in general toward the end of the 1954's. However, I do have a Beattie Rasminsky one that is exceptionally dark green. It seems odd to me that the BOC allowed such differences in our notes. I've always been surprised that these tint variances have never been commented on in Charltons or elsewhere!
Agreed, there would be no actual differences in valuations light vs dark, but personally in a choice between two rather equal similar notes, I'd always choose the darker tinted one.

I have a *A/M which is particularly darker in tint then the rest of my Modified 1954 $1.00 notes.

IMO: The Devil's Face appears more vibrant & attractive because it employs the engraving from the original Yousuf Karsh photo of the young queen.   The queen's portrait is striking and made to highlight her beauty.  Karsh was a master of lights/portrait photography (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yousuf_Karsh). 

Once they modified the queen's portrait she appears much more drab (by removing highlights in her hair/altering what was a work of art) and the entire note appears somewhat subdued/ less dramatic in appearance.     

I have a *A/M which is particularly darker in tint then the rest of my Modified 1954 $1.00 notes.

This is what I thought of when I read the comment too. My *A/M is very dark compared to the rest of my 1954 $1.00 notes.

I noticed the same thing with some of my 1954 $2, the bills I have with prefix A/G, *A/G, *O/G are a lot lighter tone than my S/U bills.
 With my 1954 $1 most the prefix's I have are dark (*A/F,*O/Y) with the exception of 1 (*C/F)
 All of these bills are UNC as well..

On the 1954 Modified Ones- many notes with the suffix /M have darker tints and what appear to be bold signatures.