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Canada unveils new $20 bill featuring portrait of King Charles

The vertical banknote marks the first time a Commonwealth nation outside Britain has featured the King on paper currency.

The short version

  • The Bank of Canada revealed a new vertically oriented $20 bill depicting King Charles III alongside the Vimy Ridge memorial.
  • Canada becomes the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to place King Charles on its banknotes since his ascension.
  • The currency is scheduled to begin circulating early next year.

Key facts

  • The Bank of Canada unveiled a new vertical $20 banknote featuring King Charles III, replacing the previous portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.[BBC News]
  • Canada is the first Commonwealth nation outside the United Kingdom to feature the King on a banknote.[BBC News]
  • The reverse side of the bill depicts the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, commemorating Canada's participation in World War I.[BBC News]
  • The design includes floral and foliage elements chosen partly through consultation with an Indigenous advisory council to reflect environmental themes.[BBC News]
  • Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem stated the new bill will enter circulation early next year.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact date early next year when the new banknotes will officially begin circulating has not been specified.[BBC News]

Sources