Composition : 92,5% silver, 7,5% copper and has gold-plated edges.
Mintage : 5,798

When coins were made of paper

During the 17th and 18th centuries, New France faced chronic shortages. The colony was months away from the motherland, isolated for months bywinter ice and the treacherous Atlantic Ocean that claimed countless sailing ships. Everything was scarce - including coins.

[...]

"Playing card money" was first issued in 1685. Despite the king.s displeasure, authorities continued to implement this temporary measure whenever their colony faced a coin shortage. In 1729, they began using plain card stock which circulated like modern bank notes until NewFrance fell to the British in 1759.

Counterfeiting was always [...] Charles VII's generals. Beau's card was cut in half and one of the inscriptions written on the back suggests the head of the King of Hearts was valued at twelve livres. The last word written on thebottom half is virtually illegible and is believed to value the body of the King of Hearts at fifteen sous.

This coin is the fourth issue of the Playing Card Money series.
The first coin of the series, released in 2008, depicts the Jack of hearts.
The second coin of the series, released in 2008, depicts the Queen of spades.
The third coin of the series, released in 2009, depicts the Ten of spades.
The fourth coin of the series, released in 2009, depicts the King ofhearts.

A set containing the four coins of the Playing Card Money series in a single case is also available.

PLAYING CARD MONEY - KING OF HEARTS - 2009 CANADIAN COINS 04 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 15- ART & CULTURE and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.