Manz Coins offers first numismatic videos

George Manz, owner of Saskatchewan’s George Manz Coins, recently completed his first two educational videos focused on Canadian numismatics.

The first video, which is available on YouTube, can seen below. It highlights Canadian chartered banknotes. Co-hosted by Terry Massey, the video also explores Manz’s hobby history, upcoming events and “other interesting things in the numismatic world.”

“Chartered banknotes are notes that are issued by banks which have received a charter either from the Canadian parliament or a Canadian province. The first chartered bank that issued notes was the Canada Bank in 1792 in Montreal; since then, other banks have received charters, and that’s basically what they do,” said Manz, who added Canada used chartered notes until 1935, when the Bank of Canada was established.

“There only have been a small number of chartered banknotes issued after 1935—mostly in 1938—but the very last chartered banknote issued was in 1943 by the Royal Bank of Canada on the $5 note.”

Manz said there are “many more” videos coming down the pipeline.

“In the near future, there will be many more YouTube videos on many other topics, including American War of Independence-era rum notes from Connecticut dated 1780, playing card money, and the Canadian 1911 $1 note that features Lord Earl Grey, the governor general of Canada.”

PLAYING CARD MONEY

The second video, seen below, highlights playing card money.

“Today, we’re talking about playing card money,” said Massey.

According to Bank of Canada archives, in 1685, the colonial authorities in New France found themselves short of funds. A military expedition against the Iroquois—allies of the English—had gone badly, and tax revenues had decreased owing to the curtailment of the beaver trade. Typically, when short of funds, the government delayed paying merchants for their purchases until a new supply of specie arrived from France; however, the payment of soldiers could not be postponed.

Intendant of Justice, Police, and Finance Jacques de Meulles decided on the temporary issuance of paper money printed on playing cards.

According to E. P. Neufeld’s Money and Banking in Canada, two pamphlets published in Massachusetts in 1691 refer to “the facility with which” Meulles was able to circulate this playing card money. One pamphlet reads: “The French (I hear) at Canada pass such Paper mony without the least scruple.”

Neufeld also writes this card money initiative put “the colony of Canada on a silver-exchange standard. The card money, instead of being redeemed in coin in Quebec, was redeemed in silver coin in France.”

CANADIAN MINT COMMEMORATION

Beginning in 2008, the Royal Canadian Mint commemorated the history of playing card money with a set of four coins, each featuring a unique rectangular shape that combined colour and selective gold plating for the first time in Mint history.

Four coins make up this set: Jack of Hearts (2008)Queen of Spades (2008)Ten of Spades (2009) and King of Hearts (2009).

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