Bank of Canada to issue commemorative 20-dollar notes honoring Queen Elizabeth II
Xinhua, September 10, 2015 Adjust font size:
The Bank of Canada unveiled a special commemorative 20-dollar bank note honouring British Queen Elizabeth II Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, Elizabeth II's reign exceeds that of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, making her the longest-reigning sovereign in Canada's modern era.
The commemorative bank note is a variation of the existing 20-dollar polymer bank note that already features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The new note is identical to the current 20-dollar note, with one distinct difference: its large window contains a range of special design elements, including a portrait of her wearing a crown for the first time on a Canadian bank note.
The portrait is based on a 1951 image by renowned Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh. It's the same photograph that inspired the portrait engraving of the queen, without the crown, for the 1954 Canadian Landscape series of bank notes and the 1967 commemorative note celebrating confederation.
Since her accession to the throne in 1952, an image of Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on every series of Canadian bank notes.
The bank will issue 40 million commemorative notes, the first of which will start to be available at financial institutions across Canada Thursday. They will circulate alongside the existing 20-dollar note, which will continue to be issued and will comprise the vast majority of 20- dollar notes in circulation. Endit