PMG Registry Featured Set: Canada

With the month of July quickly approaching, Canadians everywhere are anticipating a favorite national holiday: Canada Day. This July 1 holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Canadian Confederation in 1867. In recognition of this important event in Canada’s history, we feature an impressive 1935-Date, Bank of Canada set by Ken Barrett, found here.

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An avid collector of PMG-certified Canadian paper money, Ken has compiled almost every Bank of Canada note issued since 1935. This extensive collection of high-grade pieces is truly noteworthy in so many ways.

It is evident that each piece in this set was carefully chosen. The 2017 polymer 10 Dollar Commemorative, for example, presents a lovely color scheme; realistic, dynamic portraits; and bold, modern security features. This note also commemorates the 150th anniversary of Canada Day. It is graded an admirable PMG 69 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Meanwhile, the 2003-06 100 Dollars also strikes a patriotic theme, with the obverse showing Sir Robert Laird Borden, the prime minister who led Canada through World War I, and the reverse paying tribute to Canada's past and future. Images of a vintage map of Canada and a research satellite are tired together by a quote from poet Miriam Waddington: "Do we remember that somewhere above the sky in some child's dream, perhaps, Jacques Cartier is still sailing, always on his way always about to discover a new Canada?”

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The very first note in the set, the 1935 1 Dollar note, is not a Top Pop PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ, but it is a very close PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ, a truly lovely example. Featuring King George V on the front and the artistic, female representation of agriculture on the back, it is a beautiful snapshot of history. Signed by the Bank of Canada’s first governor, Graham Towers, and deputy governor, J.A.C. Osborne, this note also has an interesting design history. According to the Bank of Canada Museum, the plates were engraved by an American: American Bank Note Company’s Will Jung.

From the first 1935 note to the modern polymer issues of today, each note has its own story to tell and is readily viewed in this extensive set. Be sure to peruse the gallery, which has images for most notes, dating all the way back to 1935. Ken’s dedication to the evolution of Canadian banknotes is evident in his photo gallery and in his selection of notes in this set and in others. He holds the coveted No. 1 spot in this popular PMG Registry set type, and this single collection amasses a whopping 99,000 PMG Registry points.

We thank you, Ken Barrett, for sharing your comprehensive Canada collection with the PMG community. We look forward to seeing what updates you have planned next for 2024 as we look toward the next PMG Registry annual awards in 2025.

Would you like your set to be chosen for a future article? 100% completion in a set is not always feasible. Our team features sets with thoughtful comments and images for their set descriptions and notes. It may be your set! Stay tuned.

The PMG Registry is a free online platform where collectors register and display their certified notes and can compete against other collectors around the world for recognition and prizes. This popular resource now boasts more than 22,000 registered sets and more than 124,000 registered notes.

Thank you all for your continued support of the PMG Registry, the finest online collecting platform for paper money, and a huge thank-you to all of you who participated in the 2023 PMG Registry awards! Here are the details of the 2023 PMG Registry awards and winners.

We are excited to announce that we are transitioning the PMG Registry annual awards to the 2025 Summer ANA! This transition means there is more time to get your sets ready for the next award period! Winners of 2025 PMG Registry Awards receive a personalized plaque, an icon of recognition next to their PMG Registry set and a $500 PMG grading credit! Check out our exciting announcement here about the upcoming annual awards. It is never too early to start upgrading your sets!

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