1852 Quebec Bank Half Penny Token, VF+

Sale!
1852 Quebec Bank Half Penny Token, VF+
CA$50.00 CA$35.00

Shows Britannia seated left, holding a trident with a ship under sail in the background and a beehive at her feet — symbolic of industry and commerce.
Legend: QUEBEC BANK TOKEN / 1852 / HALF PENNY

Reverse:
Depicts a habitantly (French-Canadian farmer) standing facing slightly left, holding a hoe.
Legend: PROVINCE DU CANADA / UN SOU

⚙️ Historical Background

  • Issuer: Quebec Bank (chartered 1818, Quebec City)

  • Date: 1852

  • Region: Province of Canada (prior to Confederation in 1867)

  • Material: Copper

  • Diameter: ~28 mm

  • Weight: ~9 grams

  • Catalogue References:

    • Breton 670

    • Charlton LC-24A1

    • Courteau 332

These tokens circulated widely in Quebec and Ontario during the 1850s, filling the gap left by the lack of official coinage. The Quebec Bank’s design emphasized trade, agriculture, and self-reliance — important symbols in early colonial Canada.