QUEBEC - BOUQUET SOU

THE BOUQUET SERIES.

The "Bouquet" or "Un Sou" series is, without doubt, the most interesting of our Canadian Coins, and towards the completion of which our collectors should not fail to devote their best energies. The description of these coins in this edition is full, and the classification, which has always been difficult, so simplified that it can now be easily accomplished. This classification is commenced by counting the leaves in the wreath; thus, Nos. 674 to 682 have each sixteen leaves, then it remains to note the differences in the bouquet or the ribbon with which it is tied, whether it extends to the right, left, or to the right and left in the same way with the others, Nos. 683 and 684 have seventeen leaves in the wreath ; Nos. 685 to 703 eighteen; 704 and 705 twenty; 706 to 709 thirty two ; and 710 to 712 forty.

Now, to assort a lot of sous, they should be first arranged in piles according to the number of leaves in the wreath, as. 16, 17, 18, 20, 32 and 40, and thus each pile taken separately and arranged according to the bouquets and ribbons.

In this manner a very large lot can be arranged in a very short time. It is well here to remark, that there are great rarities to be found among the bouquets with only some slight point of difference either in the bouquet or the wreath, to distinguish them from the more common varieties.

Both dies are cracked. The bouquet on this coin is the same as on Nos. 681-685 and 686, which indicates that these were struck by the same firm in the United States as struck the Duseaman. The Belleville inscribed on this coin is in the State of New Jersey. It is classed as Canadian on account of the bouquet. Most of the specimens known were found in circulation in Canada. R. 2.

Struck on thick and thin planchets. It is somewhat rare in good condition. R. 2. 

This has the same obverse as last, and must therefore have been struck by the same man. It is, after the last, No. 672, probably the rarest of the bouquet series. R. 5.

Un Sou - Plain and milled edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Copper and brass. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Very rare. R. 5.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 682. R. 2.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as 678. R. 4.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 677. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 692. Copper and brass. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge: dies cracked. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 683 - 695 and 696. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 670 - 635 and 686. R. 4.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 16 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 676. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge: the bouquet die cracked. Rev: Wreath of 17 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 680 - 695 and 696. R. 2.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 17 leaves. Copper and brass. R. 2.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. This differs from the following No. 686 in the wreath, which is slightly more open at the top. Same bouquet as No. 670 - 681 and 686. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 670 - 681 and 685. The only difference between this and the last, No. 685 is, that the leaves at the top of the wreath are closer. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. R. 1.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 693. R. 1.

Un Sou - Plain and milled edges. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. The dies of this Sou were found on the premises occupied by the late Dr. Picault, about 1863. At the time of their discovery, they were presented to the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal, when three or four copies were struck in lead. Until of late years, but one original copy was known, which was in Gerald E. Hart's collection, when another one was found by Dr. J. Leroux in one of his trips to Ottawa, this last one he sold to Mr. P. N. Breton for $60.00. Four or five specimens were struck in copper in 1880, but these were poorly done as they wanted the ring. In 1890, on the desire of a number of members, the dies were arranged to receive a ling, and 24 proofs in copper were struck. As the supply had become exhausted in 1893, twelve more were ordered, 11 in copper and 1 in brass. If the Society goes on issuing, this rare piece might become an ordinary common Sou. R. 3.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. R. 4.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. R. 1.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 679. R. 1.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 688. R. 1.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves R. 1.

Un Sou -Plain edge. Perfect and cracked dies. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 680 - 683 and 696. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Perfect and cracked dies. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 680 - 683 and 695. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Perfect and cracked dies. R. 2.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 699 and 715. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same bouquet as Nos. 698 and 715. R. 2.

Un Sou -Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same reverse as No. 701. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Two varieties. Hart variety - three blades between the ear of wheat and thistle flower to the left. Same reverse as No. 700. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Perfect and cracked dies. Same reverse as No. 703. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 18 leaves. Same reverse as No. 702. R. 4 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 20 leaves. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 20 leaves. Two varieties. Hart variety - one blade between the two thistle heads to the left. R. 1 ˝.

Un Son - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 32 leaves. Same reverse as Nos. 707, 708 and 709. R. 2 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 32 leaves. Same reverse as No. 706, 708, and 709. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 32 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 710. Same reverse as Nos. 706, 707 and 709. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 32 leaves. Same reverse as Nos. 706, 707 and 708. R. 2.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 40 leaves. Same bouquet as No. 708. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 40 leaves. R. 1 ˝.

Un Sou - Plain edge. Rev: Wreath of 40 leaves. A sensation was created by the discovery of the first specimen in 1891. Since then another specimen was found by Mr. P. O. Tremblay of Montreal. Both specimens are now in the cabinet of Mr. Gerald E. Hart. R. 5.

Un Sous - Plain edge. Leroux mentions six, and Gerald Hart eight varieties of this coin. The dies were engraved at Birmingham, and the English die cutters put "sous" in place of sou. R. 1.

Un Sous - Plain edge. (See note to No. 713.) Leroux mentions four varieties of this piece. Issued by the Bank of Montreal, from the year 1835 to 1838. The issue must have been extensive as an order in council prohibited all copper coins save those issued by the Bank of Montreal and La Banque du Peuple. R. 1.

Un Sou - Milled edge and thick planchets. There exists a thin planchet variety with plain edge, but it is very rare. The same bouquet appears on No. 698 and 699. Two varieties. Hart variety is in the wreath which touches at the top. R. 1

Un Sou - Milled edges. The dies of this coin were engraved in Montreal by Joseph Arnault. They are still in possession of the bank. This is known as the rebellion token, because the accountant who, sympathizing with the rebellion of 1837, the year the coin was issued, caused a small star and a liberty cap, emblems of independence, to be engraved between the leaves of the wreath. R. 1 ˝.

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