Commems Collection Canadian: 2015 Barclays Bank (Canada) - Coin 4 Of 4

Last of the series, a tribute to a note from the 1920's...

The fourth coin in the Canadian Bank Note series is one based on a 1929 $5 note from Barclays Bank (Canada); the bank had its headquarters in Montreal.

1929 Barclays Bank (Canada) $5 Note

(Image Credit: Bank of Canada Museum - National Currency Collection.)

The central vignette of the note is a study in allegory with a female figure looking upon a globe - turned to present the Western Hemisphere - with her chin supported by her left hand and a winged wheel being supported by her right. Historically, the winged wheel represents speed and transport. On the note, it is meant to be symbolic of the British bank's expansion into Canada.

Note: Barclays Bank (Canada) was owned by the British Barclays Bank, though is was operated by a Canada-based management team.

The same vignette was used on the Bank's $5, $10 and $20 notes, with issued notes being dated 1929 and 1935. Presumably, the Royal Canadian Mint named the $5 note as the coin's inspiration to create a "match" between the equally-denominated note and coin.

The 1929 note was engraved and printed by the Canadian Bank Note Company for Barclay's Bank (Canada). The original note measures 182 mm (horizontal) by 85 mm (vertical).

The Royal Canadian Mint describes the coin's reverse design as:

"Your coin features the vignette that appeared on the $5 note from Barclays Bank (Canada) in 1929, and was utilized on a number of denominations over the years. Originally painted by Alonzo Earl Foringer and engraved for the printing press by Edwin Gunn, it features a female allegorical figure gazing at a globe with a winged disc in her hand; symbolic of the bank's expansion into Canada at the time.

In order to prepare Foringer's painting for the bank note, the image had to be reduced in size and adapted for printing. A series of tintypes (soft metal "photographs") were created, and then Edwin Gunn, one of America's most celebrated engravers, translated every detail of the original into a series of dots and lines for the printing press."

The $5.00 coin was struck on a 99.99% fine silver planchet with a diameter of 36.07 mm and a weight of 23.17 grams; the coin's edge is serrated/reeded. It had an issue price of $69.95 and a maximum mintage of 8,500 - the actual mintage (units sold) was 3,695 (per Numista) - no final figures were/have been published by the Mint. The coin was placed on sale February 3, 2015.

2015 Barclays Bank (Canada) Silver $5.00


2015 Barclays Bank (Canada) Silver $5.00 - Beauty Box



The Mint's engraving staff was responsible for the coin's presentation of the note's vignette; no individual designer/engraver was named by the Mint.

I found a good deal on this one - $40 (USD) with free shipping! This meant my total spend on the four coins was $188.21 (USD) - an average of $47.20. Though $2.20 (USD) above my per-coin target, it is about $10.00 (USD) less than what I would have paid had I purchased the coins directly from the Mint in 2013-15. So, I'm happy with the results of my pursuit! Of course, I collect these coins for pure enjoyment - no illusions of investment potential!


For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including more on Canadian commemorative coins, see: Commems Collection.