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Topic: Transmission of Bank Notes via Mail (Early 19th Century Upper Canada)  (Read 3497 times)
Ottawa
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During the early part of the 19th Century the only way to transport money was by cash in the mail. A great deal of cash was sent through the mail and a large portion of that involved collected duties (i.e., sales taxes). The two images below are interesting because they comprise a highly detailed listing and description of the currency notes that were sent from the Tax Inspector at Augusta (now Prescott, Ontario) to the Receiver General at York (now Toronto, Ontario) in January 1826 and January 1827 respectively. The information on these two sheets provides fascinating insight into the types of bank notes that were in circulation in Upper Canada at the time and this could be useful to anyone investigating this aspect of Canada's early currency. It is interesting to observe that the 1826 list comprises mainly Bank of Montreal notes whereas the 1827 list comprises mainly Bank of Upper Canada notes.

The information contained in the lists comprises the denominations of the notes, their serial numbers & plate letters, their issue dates, names of the issuing banks, and names of the Cashiers and Presidents who signed the notes.

I possess the original letters of transmittal which accompanied these lists but I have not included those here.

Perhaps someone actually possesses one of the bank notes described in the lists?!

{http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3433819/2007/9/21/1p.jpg}

{http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3433819/2007/9/21/1q.jpg}

« Last Edit: September 21, 2007, 12:42:31 pm by BWJM »

" Buy the very best notes that you can afford and keep them for at least 10 years. " (Richard D. Lockwood, private communication, 1978).
 

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