Issued in 2012 by the Bank of Canada, this 50 Dollars banknote is part of the Frontier Series, designed to commemorate Canada’s natural and economic strength. The obverse features a portrait of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister, set alongside a stylized background of the Canadian landscape, including glimpses of forests and lakes. It also includes the Coat of Arms of Canada and bilingual denominations in English and French.
The reverse highlights Canada’s innovation in aerospace, showcasing an image of the Canadian Arctic research aircraft alongside the Canadian International Space Station Robotic Arm (Canadarm2), symbolizing Canada’s contributions to exploration and technology.
This note is printed on polymer, enhancing its durability and resistance to wear. Security features include a transparent window with metallic imagery, raised ink, a metallic holographic stripe, a color-shifting maple leaf, and tactile features for the visually impaired.
The dimensions are 152 × 70 mm, matching other notes in the series. It is cataloged under Pick number P‑103a.
Obverse
Text in English and French. At the left side is a frosted maple leaf-shaped window, with the denomination below. At the centre is a portrait of William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th prime minister of Canada (1921-1930 and 1935-1948). At the right side of the note is a see-through hologram strip with a smaller portrait of the former prime minister at top, a depiction of one of the four towers along the northern perimeter of Centre Block of Parliament in Ottawa at bottom, and transparent text and the denomination repeated throughout. As well, the hologram strip has a partially translucent border consisting of maple leaves. At the very right side of the note is the denomination once again and the year the note was issued.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
CANADA 50
ÉMISSION / ISSUE 2012
CINQUANTE • FIFTY DOLLARS
BANK OF CANADA 50
BANQUE DU CANADA 50
THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER / CE BILLET A COURS LÉGAL OTTAWA
W.L. MACKENZIE KING PREMIER MINISTRE / PRIME MINISTER 1921-1930, 1935-1948
Reverse
Depiction of the Canadian Coast Guard research icebreaker ship Amundsen at centre with a map of Canada and a compass rose in the background, with the word “Arctic” in Inuktitut.
Scripts: Inuktitut, Latin
Lettering:
50 CANADA
ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖅ
CGCS AMUNDSEN, RESEARCH ICEBREAKER
LE NGCC AMUNDSEN, BRISE-GLACE DE RECHERCHE
Signatures
| Tiff Macklem (TM₁) | Deputy Governor |  |
| Mark Joseph Carney (MJC) | Governor |  |
| Carolyn A. Wilkins (CAW) | Deputy Governor |  |
| Stephen S. Poloz (SSP) | Governor |  |
| Tiff Macklem (TM₂) | Governor | |
| Timothy Lane (TL) | Deputy Governor |
Printers
BA International Inc. (British American Bank Note; British American Banknote Company Limited), Canada (1866-2012)
Canadian Bank Note Company, Canada (1897-date)
Features
| Issuer | Canada |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Bank of Canada |
| Queen | Elizabeth II (1952-2022) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Year | 2012 |
| Value | 50 Dollars 50 CAD = GBP 27 |
| Currency | Dollar (1858-date) |
| Composition | Polymer |
| Size | 152.4 × 69.85 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
