CBC 1917 $50's

News: Welcome to the Canadian Paper Money Forum.

My ancient Charlton says that  the  the Canadian Bank of Commerce  1917  $50's with  the  plain background  had brown reverses and the $50's with the multi-colored underprint had orange reverses.   Is  this  really  so??   Every image I have ever found has a brown reverse.
                And  I  still  haven't  figured  out  the  difference  between  the seal  colors of the  1917 $5's with the multi background---my  old Charlton says there
was one with "green and  red seal" and one with "multicolored seal;"  all the images  I  have  ever found  are of the latter  "variety."
                       Thanks to all for the help.

Dear Bernard

To answer your question, I believe the first edition book you has made a mistake on the back color of this note. Brown is now the only color recognized as the back of the Canadian Bank of Commerce $50. There are only 3 know varieties of this note and they are as follows:

Yellow face tint signed Walker - Logan (Institutional collection only)

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/currencymuseum/eng/collection/view.php?objectid=1970.0034.00002.000

Yellow Face tint signed Aird - Logan

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/currencymuseum/eng/collection/view.php?objectid=1973.0116.00008.000

Finally there is the White background variety with only 2 known to exist

http://www.bankofcanada.ca/currencymuseum/eng/collection/view.php?objectid=1992.0038.00023.000

As for the 5's with the different seal colors. I believe both of these varieties have the same color seal on the left but the right seal will give these away. On one variety the seal is green and red only while the other will be green, red, blue and lilac tint. Both of these have white backgrounds and are signed walker -aird.

Red Green seal

http://www.currencymuseum.ca/eng/collection/view.php?objectid=1966.0098.02419.000

Multi color seal

http://www.currencymuseum.ca/eng/collection/view.php?objectid=1970.0077.00011.000

I hope this helps

Thank  you  very  much  for  the  helpful  information.   I  am  still  assembling  my  collection  of  images  into  a  book-like  format.
                  Do you  happen to  know  where  I might  get  color  images  of  the CBC  1871 $5???   Or  the  1887 $10???                 Bernard

Hi Bernard,

While trying to find you an image of the Canadian Bank of Commerce 1887 $10 note I came across the
following information about this issue.  The information below is an excerpt from "A History of the Canadian
Bank of Commerce Vol. II" By Victor Ross, Toronto, 1922.  This may in part explain why it is so difficult to find
an image of this bank note.

In 1887 a new $10 note was issued, made as all previous issues had been, by the British American Bank Note
Company. The signature and portrait of the new president, Mr. Henry W. Darling, now appeared on the notes
for the first time. As in previous issues the design on the face of the note was printed in black, with the
denomination in an underlying green tint, and the design on the back in green with white lettering. The
distinctive feature of the new issue was a green tint formed by fine curved lines covering almost the whole of
the face of the note. Scarcely had these notes gone into circulation when it was found that the green face tint
blurred very badly, and it was considered necessary to withdraw the issue. Accordingly arrangements were
made with the American Bank Note Company to design and execute a new issue embodying all the best
methods of protection against counterfeiting which were known at the time.

...Arthur

Thank  you  very  much  for  the  item  regarding  the  CBC  1887  $10  note.   If  Charlton listed  the  note  he must  have  known  about  it,  but  he  may  have  got  his  info  from  the  same  book  you did.  And  his  catalogue  specified "No Photo Available."  And  I see  that  the  Bank  of  Canada  collection does  not  have  this  note.  Am I correct in assuming  that  NO  1887 $10  is  known  to  exist???
            Any  1971 $5  image  available??
            Is  there  anything I can  do for you?? Bernard

The 1887 $10 exists as a face proof.  There was one in the BABN archives.  It has been illustrated in the second, third, fourth and fifth editions of the catalogue.  You should consider updating your library - copies of newer obsolete editions are often available for very little cost.
The 1871 $5 is more available as a counterfeit than as a genuine issued note, though even the counterfeits are hard enough to find.  A genuine $5 1871 is illustrated in Pick.   

Once  again,  thank you.    My  problem  is  that  I find it virtually  impossible to locate any US  bookseller who  offers any books  on  Canadian  currency.  I  would  be  interested  in buying  a  relatively recent  Charlton on Chartered Bank Notes if I could find one at a reasonable price.  Perhaps  some  one  of the Forum  members might have a spare copy he or she no longer needs?

.... I  would  be  interested  in buying  a  relatively recent  Charlton on Chartered Bank Notes if I could find one at a reasonable price .....

Are the following asking prices for old Charlton catalogues for real?!

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sortby=1&tn=charlton+canadian+bank+notes&x=0&y=0

It all goes to show that in all collecting fields there will always be sellers who are either trying to rip people off or just don't have a clue what they're doing ....

I would strongly recommend buying the latest (5th) edition of the catalogue (available on eBay for about $75.00 plus shipping).

I had no clue my books were worth a small fortune

But in all honesty these books are an invaluable source of information. The new edition lists good pictures great pricing formats which are all up to date and only prices the notes in grades which we know to exist.

Secondly the newly added collector tips offer a glimps in the register and reveal for a few issues how many are estimated to have servived or which denom is scarcer to acheive.

if you do note trust eBay simply go directly on the Charlton Press site and order one from there