2 dollars 1954 replacement

Common. The 1954 Canadian two dollar note was produced in substantial quantities by the Bank of Canada and remains readily available in the collector market. While replacement notes (indicated by the asterisk prefix) may represent a smaller subset of total production, they are not scarce. The denomination, year, and design remained in circulation for an extended period, and survivors in uncirculated condition are regularly encountered in dealer inventories and auctions at modest valuations.

Issued in 1954, this note represents a pivotal moment in Canadian currency design when the Bank of Canada replaced the controversial "Devil's Face" portrait variety following public concern about an optical illusion in Queen Elizabeth II's hairstyle. The reverse design depicts a pastoral Canadian landscape—specifically Country Valley in Quebec—reflecting post-war Canadian identity and the nation's agrarian heritage during a period of economic growth and cultural assertion. The bilingual English-French inscriptions underscore Canada's commitment to recognizing both founding linguistic communities.

The obverse features a right-facing profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in formal attire with a pearl necklace, rendered in detailed black and white engraving style within a circular medallion. The central pink/rose panel is surrounded by elaborate ornamental borders incorporating heraldic emblems and maple leaf designs representing Canadian national identity. The reverse presents an engraved landscape vignette of Country Valley, Quebec, depicting a rural pastoral scene with a church featuring a prominent steeple as the focal point, surrounded by farmhouses, agricultural fields, trees (including a large specimen in the foreground), rolling hills, and a body of water. This modified variety specifically eliminates the optical illusion of facial features in the Queen's hairstyle that appeared in the earlier Devil's Face series, demonstrating the Bank of Canada's responsiveness to public concern.

FRONT: 'TWO DOLLARS' (English) / 'DEUX DOLLARS' (French) - denomination; 'CANADA' - country identifier; 'BANK OF CANADA' (English) / 'BANQUE DU CANADA' (French) - issuing authority; 'WILL PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND' (English) / 'PAIERA AU PORTEUR SUR DEMANDE' (French) - promise to pay clause; 'OTTAWA' - location of issue; '1954' - year of issue; 'GOVERNOR' (English) / 'GOUVERNEUR' (French) and 'DEPUTY GOVERNOR' (English) / 'SOUS-GOUVERNEUR' (French) - officer titles; 'BRITISHAMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY LIMITED' - printer identification. BACK: 'TWO DOLLARS' (English) / 'DEUX DOLLARS' (French) - denomination; '2' - numeral denomination; 'BANK OF CANADA' (English) / 'BANQUE DU CANADA' (French) - issuing authority.

Intaglio engraving (line engraving), executed by the British American Bank Note Company Limited. The process involves incising fine lines into metal plates to create the intricate geometric patterns, portraiture, landscape details, and security elements visible throughout the note. The exceptional clarity and precision of the line work, the subtle gradations in the engraved surfaces, and the crisp impression of denominational numerals and text all confirm professional intaglio production characteristic of security printing from this era.

This is specifically the replacement note variety (P-76b*) as indicated by the asterisk (*) prefix on the serial number *B0065154. The asterisk denotes that this note was printed as a replacement for damaged or defective notes from the original series (P-76b without asterisk). The 1954 issue exists in two primary design variants: the earlier 'Devil's Face' series (P-67) and this modified series (P-76b/P-76b*) lacking the controversial hairline optical illusion. Additional varieties may exist differentiated by signature combinations, specific date notations, and serial number prefixes, though this specific specimen with *B0065154 represents the documented replacement variety.