Whose face appeared on Canada's first $1 bill in 1923?

Discover Canada records this in one direct sentence. The guide writes: Dominion of Canada $1 bill, 1923, showing King George V, who assigned Canada's national colours (white and red) in 1921, the colours of our national flag today. The figure on the 1923 $1 bill is therefore King George V.

Two distinct facts in one passage. Discover Canada's sentence ties King George V to two Canadian milestones: he was on the 1923 $1 bill, and he "assigned Canada's national colours (white and red) in 1921." So the same Sovereign whose face appeared on Canada's early paper currency was also the one who formally assigned the country's national colours — making King George V's role in shaping Canadian symbolic identity especially visible.

The Sovereign's image on currency reflects the constitutional monarchy. Discover Canada writes that "the Crown is a symbol of government, including Parliament, the legislatures, the courts, police services and the Canadian Forces." Putting the reigning Sovereign's portrait on the $1 bill thus extended the Crown's symbolic presence into everyday Canadian life — every banknote carried a visible reminder of the country's status as a constitutional monarchy.

King George V's reign covered major Canadian milestones. He reigned during 1921 (national colours) and 1923 (the $1 bill). His era also covered Canada's First-World-War contributions and the Statute of Westminster's lead-up. Discover Canada connects another piece of his reign to today: the same red and white colours that he assigned in 1921 became the colours of the new Canadian flag raised for the first time in 1965 — meaning the modern Canadian flag's colour palette traces back directly to King George V's 1921 royal decision.

The question is testing whether new citizens know whose face appeared on Canada's first $1 bill in 1923. Discover Canada commits to one figure: King George V. The right test answer matches that.

The wrong answer choices each pick a different historical figure. Queen Victoria reigned earlier (her great-great-granddaughter is Queen Elizabeth II), but the 1923 $1 bill was during a different reign. Sir Wilfrid Laurier appears on the modern $5 bill, but is not the 1923 $1-bill figure. Sir John A. Macdonald appears on the modern $10 bill, but is not the 1923 $1-bill figure. Only King George V matches.