A Cabinet Minister was appointed Postmaster-General and the first stamps of Canada were issued on April 1, 1868 the official first day.
Darnell numbers recognizes this distinction within the numbering system and also organizes all stamps thereafter in a chronological order whereas Scott segregates stamps accordingly as to Air Mail and Special Delivery. Darnell #1 is the first stamp of the Dominion of Canada. The birth of a nation in 1867 eventually extended from sea to sea.
The new numbering system (Darnell) evolved originally with the demand by Scott to be paid a royalty to use the old numbering system. Also Scott?s outright refusal to use these numbers in Canada albums has left Darnell no alternative but to develop a new numbering system.
Furthermore, a small error of historic sequence was realized. The first (Dominion of) Canada stamp is the 1/2 cent Large Queen of 1868. Canada?s birth as a nation was 1867 a union of the "Province of Canada" with the colonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The new numbering system is more chronological and reflects the true evolution of Canada.
errors, freaks and oddities
POSTAL HISTORY AND CURRENCY
The sovereignty of a nation is usually well illustrated by the evolution of its currency. The face values of stamps correspond to the currency in circulation at the time. The following dates and events are significant in Canada’s evolution from a colony to an independent nation. Changes that were made to the currency law were followed by the post office as indicated by the face value of the stamps.
1842 April 27
The Currency Act of 1841 becomes law, making legal tender the British sovereign, and the American eagle, dollar, and half-dollar. French crowns and half-crowns are no longer legal tender. [169.230]
1850
With Currency Act of 1850 the Inspector-General for the Province of Canada, Francis Hincks, introduces a bill in Parliament, to amend the Currency Act of 1841, giving the Governor General the power to have coins struck for circulation in Canada. [306.133] [571.26]
August 10
An Act to amend the 1841 Currency Act receives royal assent, with the signature of Lord Elgin, Governor General of Canada. The Act sets the value of the American dollar in Canada at 5 shillings. The Act also gives Canada's Governor General the power to have silver coins struck for circulation in Canada, in denominations of 5 shillings, 2 shillings 6 pence, 2 shillings, 1 shilling 3 pence, 1 shilling, 6 pence, and 3 pence. These values correspond directly to American currency values of $1, 50c, 40c, 25c, 20c, 10c, and 5c. Gold coins are also provided for, in values of 10 shillings, 12 shillings 6 pence, 1 pound, and 1 pound 5 shillings. The Act is set to become law on January 1, 1851. [176.90] [306.133] [378.182] [571.26]
October 24
The British Treasury sends a memorandum to the Colonial Office severely criticizing Canadian Inspector-General Francis Hincks' proposed Currency Act of 1850, and demanding its disallowance. [306.134]
October 25
Colonial Secretary Earl Grey informs Lord Elgin that the Currency Act of 1850 should be disallowed, as it was not contingent on the acceptability of the British Government. [306.134]
November
Francis Hincks replies to the British Treasury stating reasons for Canada to issue its own coinage, and that the Currency Act of 1850 should be allowed to stand, and let the legislature repeal certain sections if they are deemed inappropriate. [306.134]
December 5
Earl Grey writes to Lord Elgin, agreeing with Francis Hincks that the Canadian Legislature should have an opportunity to amend the Currency Act of 1850. [306.135]
1851 February 20
The British Treasury replies to Francis Hincks' memorandum of November 1850, refusing to budge on the subject of Canadian currency. [306.135]
April 14
An Order-in-Council in England disallows the Canadian Currency Act of 1850. [176.90] [306.135] [571.26
The first "pence" issue of the Province of Canada stamp is issued in April Darnell Cat. #A1-A16.
1852 June 29
The British Treasury proposes that a distinctive Canadian coin, the pound currency, and called a "Royal", should be issued. The Royal would be equivalent to four US gold dollars. Silver coins of denominations 1/2 crown, 1 shilling, 1/2 shilling, and 1/4 shilling would be produced. [306.139]
November
Francis Hincks introduces a new currency Act into the Canadian legislature. The Act specifies that a dollar currency and a pound currency would both be valid. [306.140]
1853 June 14
The Currency Act, 1853, receives royal assent, allowing coins in denominations of dollars and cents to be struck for Canada, as well as shillings and pence. [16] [39] [176.92] [276.187] [277.109] [306.140]
1858 January 1
By an Act passed in England, the Province of Canada is put on the decimal system of currency. [35.8] [85] [240.419] [286.250] [378.183] [380.191]
July 1 1858
The first Canadian coins are minted in England, in denominations of 1c, 5c, 10c, and 20c. The obverse design of the 1 cent piece was originally intended for use in English coinage, but was rejected, due to its similarity to the bronze coinage of Emperor Napoleon III of France. [1]
1859 July
The first "cents" stamp issue are released Darnell Cat. #A12-A17.
1867 April 1st
With the passage of the Post Office Act of 1867 the Post Office Department in Ottawa took full control of all postal affairs. A Cabinet Minister was appointed Postmaster-General.
1868 April 1
The Post Office Act of 1867 is activitated into full operation and the first stamps of the Dominion of Canada begin to be released in March 1868. Darnell Cat. #1 1/2 cent Black Queen Victoria "Large Queen".
1870 February 12
An official proclamation sets April 15 as the last day of grace for US silver coins to circulate in Canada. [55] [350.65]
While operating the stamp and coin department in Simpsons 1967-1981 in Montreal to become the largest such stamp and coin department in North America, a representative of Ryerson Press offered Darnell the balance of unsold Ryerson Canada albums they had in stock. Darnell purchased the entire inventory of old albums updated them and added a glossy dust jacket and re-released this album as the first publication of Darnell Publishing Co. Ltd./ Editions Darnell Inc.
This low cost Canada album was an immediate success. Retail was $3.95 for this updated version 3-ring loose leaf album. This entry into the album business was very fortunate since the entire market was dominated by American publishers of Canada albums - Harris, Minkus and Scott. In subsequent years the album was re-issued and eventually became #1 in market share. The first French version came out in 1976 and first Hingeless album in 1978 . The Plate Block Album came out in1978 . Prices for these albums sky rocketed. Today, the hingeless sells for $450.00 per 2 volume set.
In the early 1970¹s some collectors began asking for numbers to be included in their albums for easy reference and identification. Minkus and Scott had copyrights to their numbering systems. Darnell inquired with Scott to use their numbering system under some payments for the rights.
The answer was a flat “ no”. Under no circumstance would Scott allow the use of their numbers in a competitive album.
This left Darnell in a quandary, until Darnell visited CAPEX 76 in Toronto and met James Kramer who later became president of the Royal Philatelic Society. In this chance discussion with him about the numbering problem in the albums he casually mentioned something very revealing. He said that he was amazed that the numbering system doesn’t really follow Canadian history and that there are many irregularities and inconsistencies in the Scott numbering system. He added that the first really Canadian stamp was the Large Queens issued after confederation in 1867. This immediately sparked a solution to the numbering problem. Darnell published the first catalogue using a new numbering system for the 1978-1979 season. Not only was the numbering system Canadian but it was the first bilingual catalogue published.
As is consistent with most international catalogues, the first of nation stamp is given the honour of being number one "1" and thereafter in chronological order. Stamps issued previously whether as a colony or possession but before independence are either designated with a prefix or a new number. Darnell has followed the normal standard by adding a prefix so that all stamps prior to confederation, when Canada was a colony of Great Britain, are numbered A1 to A17. The beaver becomes #A1 and the first stamp of British North America.
The first stamp of the Dominion of Canada is the ½ cent black of Queen Victoria issued in March of 1868 and valid for postage in all the territories of the new nation.
Also in recognition of the original colonies to join in Confederation Nova Scotia and New Brunswick stamps are given their distinct prefix and are placed in the beginning of the catalogue with the stamps of Upper and Lower Canada. British Columbia and Prince Edward Island stamps are placed just before Newfoundland in the deluxe edition since they joined confederation at a later date. The Pence issues that were issued prior to 1867 were valid for postage in both colonies of Upper or Lower Canada.
In the meantime, this new catalogue sparked the outrage of the other publications on the market at that time. There were four others with a large market share. Lymans had the biggest following with Scott Canada a close second and Canada Specialized and CWS with the rest. Scott Canada eventually became Unitrade Canada. Today only Darnell and Unitrade remain.
Manny Darnell