Curator & Collector

Image of Royal Canadian Mint commemorative playing card money from an eBay auction

I’m the sort of collector who likes to occasionally buy Royal Canadian Mint products. The operative word, of course, is “occasionally,” for the Mint’s productions have often been characterized by a deadly combination of high mintage runs, silly or boring subjects, and relatively high prices. Proof coins once sold at $25 in the 1980′s today sell for $5 (the low silver composition was likely a factor, too, though). Recently, the Mint has unveiled some wonderful centenary commemorative products detailed in previous posts. In addition, there is also the “Vignettes of Royalty” series: a five coin sterling silver set minted in ultra-high relief, featuring the busts of Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI, and the Young Head of Elizabeth II.

The Mint’s newly released sterling silver Jack of Hearts rectangular coin commemorates the famous “playing card money,” of the French Regime in what is now Quebec. The coin is the first of a set of four, and is certainly one of the RCM products I’d like to own. The relatively high mintage (25,000) tends to work against purchase, though (as do present finances). The coin is certainly an attractive one, though, and celebrates a fascinating period of Canadian numismatics.

For those not familiar with Canadian numismatics, playing card money was circulated in New France, beginning in 1685, as a desperate emergency measure. At that time, New France suffered acutely from a typical colonial problem: more coinage went out of the colony than came in. The Intendant of New France, Jacques de Meuelles, decided to use the only material both durable and available–playing cards–as paper money to pay his soldiers. Essentially, the Indendant wrote on the cards, giving each a value, and authorizing them for circulation with his signature. There were many subsequent issues of “card money,” but extant cards are now very rare.