Canada - Bouquet Sou - Museum Gallery

Another variety. In the 1830’3 and 40’s in the Canadian British Colonies like Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Quebec) there was no circulating coinage. This was a great inconvenience to storekeepers and the public alike. In Lower Canada (Quebec), banks began issuing their own tokens that were used as coinage. There was the Banque du Peuple, the City Bank, the Quebec Bank and the Bank of Montreal all providing one half and one penny tokens. Most were struck in England dated from 1837 to 1845. In 1838, the Bank of Montreal replaced earlier issues with new tokens showing a corner or side view of the bank building. Apparently the bank manager felt the tokens were poorly made and the shipment was returned to England. Obviously, a small number escaped and today they are very scarce and much sought after by collectors. (Geoffrey Bell Auctions)
CANADA, Tokens. Bas (Lower) Canada. Banque du Peuple du Montreal.
Copper Sou Token (27mm)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Struck 1838.
AGRICULTURE & COMMERCE/ * BAS CANADA *
Bouquet BANQUE DU PEUPLE./ MONTREAL.
UN SOU within wreath of oak leaves
Charlton LC-5A2
And here is a cut/paste from the Numistic Americana section of the PCGS website.
In Belleville, New Jersey, John Gibbs, who on a token known as Low 150, described himself as MANUFACTURER OF MEDALS AND TOKENS, was a senior partner of Gibbs, Gardner & Co. His business was located in a building on the same premises as Stevens, Thomas & Fuller, a company which produced dies and struck minor coins for Brazil, Liberia, Santo Domingo, and various private merchants. Stevens had earlier obtained his training in Birmingham, England.
The coining facility became known as the Belleville Mint. Many different varieties associated with the Hard Times token series, including some bearing the evasive legend NOT ONE CENT, were made there. In addition, similarly-sized copper coins known as bouquet sous were made for circulation in Canada. The floral bouquet design was used in one instance as a reverse for a token issued by William Gibbs, father of John Gibbs, who proclaimed himself to be an AGRICULTURIST.