The “Devil’s Head” Bank Notes

Yousuf Karsh, an Armenian-Canadian, was one of the most notable portrait photographers of the twentieth century. In 1951, he had the opportunity to take the portrait of a beautiful young princess, an heir to the British throne. The official portrait of Princess Elizabeth was taken, just six months before the death of her father, King George VI, propelled her into the role of Queen of England—and, thereby, Queen of Canada. Little did Karsh know that when he took on this simple but prestigious task, he would find himself at the center of a wave of speculation and controversy.

Following the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne, the Bank of Canada began updating the nation’s currency. A stunningly beautiful series of Canadian landscapes was chosen for the back of the new bank notes, and Karsh’s portrait was selected for the front. However, there was a problem—the diamond tiara on the now-Queen’s head. Since Karsh’s portrait was already on the Canadian two-cent postage stamp, it was decided that the tiara should be removed and the image reversed to distinguish the bank notes from the stamps.

Bridgen’s Limited, a graphic arts firm in Toronto, retouched the original portrait’s photographic negative to remove the headpiece and reverse the Queen’s image. The Bank of Canada commissioned the British American Bank Note Company to engrave the front plate of the bank notes. Master engraver George Gundersen was tasked with reproducing the modified Karsh portrait onto steel printing dies. The Bank of Canada gave the final approval for the new bank note series, and two companies—the American Bank Note Company and the Canadian Bank Note Company—began producing the paper money in early 1954. In the fall of that year, the new bank notes were officially released to the Canadian public.

The Devil in a Detail?

The new bills were not circulating very long before something perplexing was noticed. Within the curls of the Queen’s hair, around the area near her ear, was what some saw as the grinning face of a demon! This incredible discovery was reported in newspapers across Canada and even internationally.

In the 1950s, World War II was fresh in most people’s minds. It had ended less than a decade before and had been a time of terrible global turmoil and intrigue. Much of the world was hyper-attuned to anything construed as political subterfuge. And the media, as it does today, grasped at any story that could be sensationalized. Just as today, there was talk of conspiracies—which usually imply nefarious motives.

Conspiracy theories can be captivating as they attempt to provide a framework to make sense of ambiguous, confusing, and emotional situations in our world that seemingly defy normality. They purport to clarify what appears unclear by unveiling the “real” truth. The Internet and social media today make it easy to create and spread conspiracies. However, as the case of the “Devil’s head” banknotes reminds us, conspiracies are not new phenomena linked with our modern modes of communication.

But who would conspiracy theorists hold responsible for such a heinous assault against the British monarchy? Conspiracy theories abounded regarding the matter. Could it be anti-monarchists, satanists, or foreign infiltrators—or all three? Were the conspirators working within the Canadian government, the Bank of Canada, Bridgen’s Limited, or the British American Bank Note Company to send a subtle—or perhaps overt—message? Was that message meant for the Canadian public or the British monarchy?

A comparison of Karsh’s original photograph and the Gundersen engraving shows a remarkable replication, attesting to Gunderson’s impressive skill. The touchup of the negative by Bridgen’s Limited did not extend to the controversial area of the Queen’s hair by her left ear. If it was a plot—a conspiracy—it would have had to involve the subject herself, or at least the person who styled her hair on the day the photograph was taken.

So, was the “Devil’s head” bank note a conspiracy? No! The uproar was all foolishness—an exaggerated and irrational response to a mere coincidence that could have erupted into a dangerous political situation. No conspiracy, no skullduggery.

The Bank of Canada initiated work to modify the engraving, and the offending highlights in the Queen’s hair were slightly adjusted and darkened, solving the problem. The printers began using modified plate dies to produce more acceptable bank notes (still bearing the year 1954). Today, unmodified 1954 bank notes are highly prized by collectors, with notes in uncirculated condition often valued at sale or auction far above their face value.

The Solution to the Devil’s Deceptions

What can we learn from the “Devil’s head” controversy? Most importantly, we must use the lens of God’s word to inform our perception of all other information. Satan, not God, is the author of confusion, and he is a master of distraction! Where chaos and intrigue abound, we can be sure that Satan, with his trickery, will be in the mix—creating distractions, riling up emotions, and furthering division. If we don’t get all the facts and consider those facts from a perspective of biblical truth, we can quite easily be led to the wrong conclusion. God warned through the prophet Isaiah and inspired to be recorded as Scripture, “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled” (Isaiah 8:12).

Satan is very perceptive and extremely clever. He knows how to distract our attention and create confusion. He can make us “clearly” see what is clearly not there. We need to be aware of Satan’s devices to avoid falling for foolishness. But there is more to do than just guard ourselves against Satan. To help us discern the truth from the lies, God’s message to Isaiah (and to us!) is to focus on Him: “The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread” (v. 13).

We must learn to revere God, obeying and honouring Him above all else. When we shift our focus from the ambiguous, confusing, and emotionally “triggering” distractions of this world and onto God, we will be rewarded with peace and assurance, such as described in Proverbs 14:26–27: “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”

There is a minefield of conspiracies and intrigues in this world. Most are merely tricks of the Devil designed to create confusion and distract us from where our focus needs to be. When we focus on God and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), His word will guide us to discern the truth from lies and error.

To learn more about how Satan deceives the vast majority of people in our world today, read our powerful Bible study guide Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. Satan is indeed a counterfeiter, but he works on a scale that few today recognize. Read it for yourself right here at TomorrowsWorld.org, or write to the Regional Office nearest you (listed on page 4 of this magazine) to receive your free printed copy.