Is There a Hidden Devil on an Old Canadian Banknote?

This time on Note Nook, I look at a one dollar note issued in Canada in 1954. This one is particularly fascinating because of what some people thought they saw in the design. Their impression led to the nickname 'devil's head note' for this particular issue and caused the Canadian government to order new plates for the series only two years later. Join me to find out more!

A banknote always tells a story from a particular point of view, attempting to unite its users and inspire faith and confidence in the country and its banking system. Currency only works when users will accept it in exchange and have faith that other users will do the same. It also needs to be difficult to copy so as to discourage counterfeit, and the security measures embedded within a note are always interesting to examine.

Note Nook is researched and presented by me, W.B. Hafford, archaeologist and economic anthropologist. It is a sub-set of a more conceptual series of money lectures, called Money Talks. The banknotes featured come from my personal collection and many are heavily worn. But circulation of a note means it has fulfilled its purpose, and wear patterns can tell us a great deal. Pristine notes may be valuable for most collectors, but for an anthropologist interested in usage and history, somewhat worn notes are often more interesting. Supplementary imagery is drawn from Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons license.