Last updated on April 15th, 2020 at 07:23 am
Last Updated on April 15, 2020 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins
Canadian paper money has a long history. Like many countries in the world, Canadian currency has mostly featured notable and iconic people. But in 2018, the focus will shift to a particularly interesting and important woman on the new $10 Canadian banknote. The best part about this is the fact that Canadians themselves are responsible for nominating and voting for Viola Desmond.
Canadian Paper Money: History And Popular Portrayals
Since Confederation, a number of women have been portrayed on Canadian federal banknotes. However, none of these women have been Canadian or of the people. For example, some of the notable women from past Canadian banknotes include:
- Both the child and adult Queen Elizabeth
- Queen Mary
- Princess Patricia
- The Countess of Dufferin
In addition to these famous women, there have also been many female allegorical figures featured on various banknotes. For example, the back of the 1935 Canadian $1 bill features the agriculture allegory of a woman on a throne holding gardening tools.
Why The Sudden Change?
The reason is simple: the practice of representing significant women on national currency is gaining momentum worldwide. A dozen countries at the moment feature historically notable women on their national currencies, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
In the case of Canadian paper money, the Bank of Canada wanted to feature a historic Canadian woman who has made an important contribution to Canada. After a nine-month selection process and choosing among 461 nominations collected from 26,000 submissions, the decision was made to feature Viola Desmond on the 2018 Canadian $10 bill.
Who Was Viola Desmond?
Viola Desmond was a Nova Scotia businesswoman who once refused to sit in a blacks-only section of a movie theatre in Nova Scotia. Paper money in Canada will be printed in 2018 with the image of this fearless woman who was arrested and fined for “attempting to defraud the provincial government” in 1946.
Desmond refused to pay the 1-cent differential on the price between the black section in the theatre balcony and the white section on the floor. The businesswoman filed a legal challenge to the fine but was unsuccessful. She passed away in 1965 but posthumously received a free pardon in 2010 from the Nova Scotia government. The new $10 note with Desmond’s image on the front will appear sometime in late 2018.
Looking For More Information On Various Canadian Paper Money? Turn To Colonial Acres Coins
Even though the new $10 note featuring the image of the fearless businesswoman will be a historical precedent, it will likely be sought after as a result. If you are interested in adding to your collection other paper banknotes that are rare and valuable, visit Colonial Acres Coins. Colonial Acres deals in rare, valuable and interesting coins, coin sets and numismatic materials. The expert team of professionals at Colonial Acres will also help you with appraisals and any information you might be interested in learning about Canadian and international currency. Check out Colonial Acres Coins today and allow passionate professionals to do the heavy lifting for you.