In the early days of Canada, the young country’s currency was marked as ‘The Dominion of Canada’, this money was used from 1870 to 1935. The Dominion of Canada currency are highly sought after by currency collectors are many bank notes are rare and carry a lot of value. There are roughly 20 designs that are extremely valuable to collectors, this can make collecting challenging and exciting. It’s also worth mentioning that most designs have two different variations, a strong understanding of the currency you are collecting is a great way to get value.

An average currency collector will find that most of the bills will be in a denomination of 5 dollars or less. Any Dominion of Canada bill with a higher value is very rare and will be extremely valuable. You may encounter chartered bank notes issued during the same time as Dominion of Canada currency, these bank notes were regionally issued at the time.

Dominion of Canada 25-Cent Bank Note

One of the most common Dominion of Canada bank notes is the 25-cent bill, also known as shinplasters. This was the lowest denomination issued at the time by The Dominion of Canada. A typical 25 cent note will not have a lot of value, there are many in the market, but there are some exceptions. Notes from the 1870 Dominion of Canada series are known for being rare and will attract higher prices. We’ve also seen 25 cent bank notes from the years 1900 to 1923 that have gone for a high amount when in perfect condition.

Dominion of Canada 1 Dollar Bank Note

One-dollar bills are often ignored by collectors due to the fact there are so many in the market.  However, you will not want to dismiss any Dominion of Canada one-dollar bank notes. Collecting an entire series of one-dollar Dominion of Canada notes is nearly impossible due to the bill’s rarity, a complete set can be bought for over $10,000.

Dominion of Canada 2 Dollar Bank Note

Dominion of Canada 2-dollar bank notes was issued in 1870, 1878, 1887, 1897, 1914, and 1923. This means collecting a major design type for the denomination only requires the purchase of six bank notes. Collecting 2-dollar bank notes is easier than other denominations, there are large amounts on the market. There are some 2-dollar notes that are challenging to find such as notes in VF condition from the 1800s.

Dominion of Canada 4 Dollar Bank Note

The $4 Dominion of Canada bank note is a very rare denomination in a global currency. The currency was first used in 1882, and during it’s run it was only produced by the Dominion of Canada. During its history, the bill was redesigned and issued again in 1900 and 1902. The odd denomination has made the bill a much sought-after piece for collection across Canada and beyond. There are lots of 4-dollar coins on the market, but high-grade bills are much harder to locate.

Dominion of Canada 5 Dollar Bank Note

The Dominion of Canada 5-dollar bank note was not issued until 1912. The only other time the bill was offered was 1924. Denominations over $4 were used far less often than today and the higher valued bills were usually printed by chartered banks throughout the country. The Dominion of Canada 5-dollar bank note was released in limited quantities. Today, Dominion of Canada 5-dollar bank notes are common. Interestingly enough, $5-dollar notes from 1924 are worth four times more than 1912 bills.

Dominion of Canada 1911 and 1925 $500 and $1000 Bank Notes

Most collectors will agree that 1911 and 1925 $500 and $1000 bank notes are some of the most sought-after Canadian currency. When added together, the total issue for both denominations and both years equals a total of 148,000 notes. We are aware of a few collections of these bills, but there are more surviving bills throughout the country. The typical Canadian did not have a need for such a high denomination at the time and they are now a century old, this makes the bills very rare and valuable.

Dominion of Canada 1871 – 1872 $50, $100, $500, & $1000 Bank Notes

Dominion of Canada bills from 1871 and 1872 are extremely rare and it’s unlikely a collector will ever encounter these bills. It’s possible that the bill may exist, but it’s more likely they will only be found in institutional collections. It’s more likely to find a proof of these bank notes and even these are extremely rare.

Dominion of Canada Oversized Bank Legals – Bank Specials

These oversized Dominion of Canada bills no longer exist, they were originally distributed to banks for internal use. Proofs and specimens can be found, but they are very rare. The artwork on oversized bills is known for being stunning and detailed.