Canadian Government Paper Money, 25th Edition

The latest version of this popular catalogue includes a new section for the Bank of Canada s polymer notes, and the grading guide at the front of the book has been expanded to include grading standards for polymer. Prefix and changeover information has been brought completely up to date. Valuable note census information records the latest findings, and a new tip for collectors analyses Newfoundland Treasury Notes of 1920 with results that the publisher hopes will be useful and informative.

The expert pricing panel worked very hard to follow what has been a largely directionless and subdued market. Reports received from both ends of the country indicate, however, that a firming trend has been in evidence since the late winter of 2012. With price changes in this edition firming, a market bottom is building for the next up-cycle. Where positive and negative sentiment is balanced, prices have usually been left unchanged. There are a number of instances of prices increasing at either the low or high end of the grading scale, with a little softening in the middle, reflecting the preferences of today s market-makers.

There have been instances of significant price advances, though. These include most of the Specimen notes, as well as the 1923 $2 Dominion Notes in top grades, following several recent sales at record-smashing prices. The rarity of several replacement notes, on many want lists but hardly ever available on the market, is gradually becoming recognized, resulting in substantial price increases.

Among the more recent Bank of Canada notes, there have been more changes seen in the Journey notes than in the Multicoloured and Birds issues, and there increases outnumber downward revisions.

The use of full colour images, introduced in the last edition, continues. This innovation, warmly welcomed by the collecting fraternity, has been widely credited with helping to attract new participants to the hobby.

The 25th Edition of the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Government Paper Money is scheduled for release in July. This volume consists of 440 7 x 9 inch pages (approximately), with the popular lie-flat spiral binding.