Composition : 92,5% silver, 7,5% copper and has gold-plated edges.
Mintage : 5,921

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.

Still, merchants, civil servants and soldiers had to be paid. In a desperate move to keep daily transactions flowing, the governor began issuing playing cards with a written promise to pay what was owed when the next shipment of coins arrived from France. Historic records show that cards were cut into halves or quarters and had their corners clipped to reflect different values.

"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 New France fell to the British in 1759.

Counterfeiting was always [...] for this series. The inscription at thecentre of the design is not believed to have been part of the original printing but a later addition and its intent is unknown. The cornersof the card were clipped and the inscription on the back suggestes the Ten of Spades was valued at forty livres.

This coin isthe third 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 in2009, depicts the King of hearts.

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

PLAYING CARD MONEY - TEN OF SPADES - 2009 CANADIAN COINS 03 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 15- ART & CULTURE and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.