2011-2017 Bank of Canada Banknotes (2024)

2011 Issue of Canadian Banknotes

The "Frontiers" Issue

This issue ushers in a major change to the banknote printing industry. For the first time (aside from the 1986 test notes) the "Guardian" polypropylene material developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia was used, and printed using the intaglio printing process. The banknote material is manufactured by Securency International of Australia.

The major new components and security features are:

Each set of ten million notes were given a different series letter. Twenty-three different series letters were approved for use, so a total of 230 million possible notes could be printed for each denomination letter.
If more notes were required, an alternate denomination letter was used, and both the series letter and serial number sequences were re-started.
A three letter prefix was added to each serial number:
- The first character represents the printing company (BAI = A or B; CBN = E, F, G or H).
- The second character represents the denomination while the second letter represents the series.
- The third character represents the series (see table below for the list of series letters used).

Replacement notes were printed and used, but there was no standard letter or character chosen to distinguish them from normal notes (this has not been absolutely proven yet).

2013 5 Dollar Note (Macklem-Carney)

BC-69a

5 Dollar
(Macklem-Carney)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir Wilfred Laurier above the West Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - Canadarm 2 with the Dextre robot, an astronaut during during a spacewalk above the earth.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Mark Carney) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2013 5 Dollar Note (Macklem-Poloz)

BC-69b

5 Dollar
(Macklem-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir Wilfred Laurier above the West Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - Canadarm 2 with the Dextre robot, an astronaut during during a spacewalk above the earth.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2013 5 Dollar Note (Spocked)

5 Dollar
(Spocked)

VIGNETTES:
Front Left - Mr. Spock (Star Trek).
Front Center - West block of the Parliament Buildings, three maple leaves security device.
Back - Who cares. You'll be so busy laughing at the front you won't care what's on the back (but wouldn't it be great if the back had a vignette of the bridge of the Starship Enterprise?)

Due to the popularity of the previous banknote series, is anyone willing to place a bet on how long it takes for this to happen?

The Government of Canada hopes it will never happen...

2013 10 Dollar Note (Macklem-Carney)

BC-70a

10 Dollar
(Macklem-Carney)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald above the Library of Parliament on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - "The Canadian" train superimposed over VIA route map, travelling through the Canadian Rockies.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Mark Carney) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2013 10 Dollar Note (Macklem-Poloz)

BC-70b

10 Dollar
(Macklem-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald above the Library of Parliament on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - "The Canadian" train superimposed over VIA route map, travelling through the Canadian Rockies.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2013 10 Dollar Note (Wilkins-Poloz)

BC-70c

10 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir John A. Macdonald.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald above the Library of Parliament on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - "The Canadian" train superimposed over VIA route map, travelling through the Canadian Rockies.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2012 20 Dollar Note (Macklem-Carney)

BC-71a

20 Dollar
(Macklem-Carney)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II above the Peace Tower and Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - The Canadian National Vimy Memorial with the Canadian flag, with a group of poppies on the left and right sides of the back.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Mark Carney) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2012 20 Dollar Note (Wilkins-Poloz)

BC-71b

20 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II above the Peace Tower and Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - The Canadian National Vimy Memorial with the Canadian flag, with a group of poppies on the left and right sides of the back.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2012 50 Dollar Note (Macklem-Carney)

BC-72a

50 Dollar
(Macklem-Carney)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of William Lyon MacKenzie King above the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - Icebreaker and arctic research vessel CCGS Amundsen at sea, with a map of Canada, a portion of a compass with map symbols in the background.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Mark Carney) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2012 50 Dollar Note (Wilkins-Poloz)

BC-72b

50 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - William Lyon MacKenzie King.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of William Lyon MacKenzie King above the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - Icebreaker and arctic research vessel CCGS Amundsen at sea, with a map of Canada, a portion of a compass with map symbols in the background.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2011 100 Dollar Note (Macklem-Carney)

BC-73a

100 Dollar
(Macklem-Carney)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir Robert Borden above the East Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - A laboratory worker using a microscope, an electrocardiogram printout and a bottle of insulin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Mark Carney) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2011 100 Dollar Note (Macklem-Poloz)

BC-73b

100 Dollar
(Macklem-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir Robert Borden above the East Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - A laboratory worker using a microscope, an electrocardiogram printout and a bottle of insulin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Tiff Macklem) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2011 100 Dollar Note (Wilkins-Poloz)

BC-73c

100 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - Sir Robert Borden.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Sir Robert Borden above the East Block of the Parliament Buildings on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - A laboratory worker using a microscope, an electrocardiogram printout and a bottle of insulin.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2015 20 Dollar Note (Wilkins-Poloz)

BC-71b

20 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

On September 9th, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II surpassed her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, as the longest-reigning monarch in British and Canadian history.
To commemorate this achievement the Bank of Canada issued a special 20 dollar note.

VIGNETTES:
Front Centre - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II as she appeard on her Coronation Day in 1953 above a special logo (which reads "A Historic Reign" in both French and English above her coronation crown and Royal Insignia, which is above a wreath of Maple leaves) on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - The Canadian National Vimy Memorial with the Canadian flag, with a group of poppies on the left and right sides of the back.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.

2017 Canada150 Issue of Canadian Banknotes

To commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary a special banknote was designed and issued.

2017 10 Dollar "Canada150" Note
(Wilkins-Poloz)

This note is absolutely RIDDLED with details, inside stories and hidden features.

BC-75

10 Dollar
(Wilkins-Poloz)

VIGNETTES:
Front Left - The Memorial Chamber Arch of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill
Front Centre - Sir John A. Macdonald, Sir George-Etienne Cartier, Agnes McPhail and James Gladstone (Akay-na-Muka), all in front of the The Hall of Honour in the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.
Front Right - Metallic holographic portrait of Canada's coat of arms above the "Owl's Bouquet" stone-cut and stencil print by acclaimed Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak.on the clear window (the reverse of these images can also be viewed from the back of the note).
Back - The Coast Mountains near Vancouver BC, stalks of wheat on a farm in Saskatchewan, the Kipawa River flowing over the Canadian Shield in Quebec, Cape Bonavista in Newfoundland.

The signatures of the Deputy Governor (Carolyn Wilkins) and the Governor (Stephen S. Poloz) were printed by the intaglio printing method.

The prefixes CDA, CDB, CDC, CDD, CDE and CDF were used in this issue. While the first 5 issues contain the complete list of serial numbers, the CDF print run was not completed.NOTE: a GREAT tour of every detail of this note can be found here at the Bank of Canada's web site:
Click here to view

Note: See Appendix A for the locations of the Position Numbers on these notes.