Grizzly Bear 2025

From Wilderness to Wallet: the Grizzly Bear Banknote

House Note: Grizzly Bear
Issuer: Canadian Bank Note Company (CBN)
Substrate: GUARDIAN™ polymer (CCL Secure)
Status: Non-circulating house note

Overview

The Grizzly Bear house note showcases CBN's design and integration capabilities, drawing inspiration from the sockeye salmon run along British Columbia's Adams River. Rather than institutional imagery, the design centres on Canadian biodiversity and the interconnected ecosystem of the salmon's journey, using natural tones drawn from the river environment.

Design

The obverse features a grizzly bear rendered in what CBN describes as some of the most intricate intaglio line engraving ever produced at their facility. The reverse continues the ecological narrative with an osprey and elk, depicting wildlife sustained by the salmon run. A notable design detail: when two notes are placed side by side, their transparent window areas visually merge to suggest a continuous pool of river water.

Security Features

The note's security architecture is built on CBN's engraving, intaglio, and front-to-back register work. Micro-optical features are integrated through a collaboration with CCL Secure, on whose GUARDIAN™ substrate the note is printed. These include CINEMA™ technology embedded directly in the substrate, introducing subtle motion and depth effects. Additional features include IRISWITCH™ effects in the water areas, Spot Colour, Shadow Image, and Half Window elements.

Partners

• Substrate: CCL Secure (GUARDIAN™ polymer)
• Micro-optical features: CCL Secure (CINEMA™)