New France, Louis XIV, 15 Sols, 1670
By Library and Archives Canada | Monday, March 29, 2004
The first coins issued for use in what was later to become Canada were minted over 300 years ago, or nearly 200 years before Confederation. In the early days of New France, the need for a local currency was partially met by the use of ordinary French coins. In 1670, Louis XIV was prevailed upon to issue a special coinage for use in the French colonies of North America. Silver coins in the denominations of 5 sols and 15 sols were struck, as well as a 2-deniers piece in copper. The 15-sol piece, illustrated, was slightly larger than a Canadian 25-cent piece and was worth a little more than an English shilling of that day. The Latin inscription refers to Louis XIV, whose bust appears on the obverse of the coin: "They shall speak of thy glory of thy kingdom.'' The letter 'A' at the bottom of the inscription is the mint mark of the Paris Mint. These coins are now very rare; this specimen is part of the National Currency Collection, Collection of the Bank of Canada.
New France, Louis XIV, 15 Sols, 1670
This article represents a portion of the the article titled Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada
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