In the early hours of April 7, 1868, Thomas D’Arcy McGee—a Father of Confederation—was shot and killed on Sparks Street in Ottawa. Patrick Whelan was hanged for the crime at the Carleton County Jail despite proclaiming his innocence to the end.

The jail is now operated as the HI Ottawa Jail Hostel. Many guests have reported waking up in the night to see the image of a man, standing at the end of their bed, who fits the description of Patrick Whelan. His restless spirit still seems to be haunting the hallways of the old jail…

The Design:

This lenticular large format 35 mm 50 cent coin brings you a ghostly tale set in one of Canada’s spookiest buildings. The two-image lenticular design by Emmanuel Julian Madail Monzon first shows a visitor entering the former jail during an evening tour, where the bar door is left ajar. When the coin is tilted, the door is closed and the eerie ghost of a former inmate—perhaps Patrick Whelan, appears behind the terrified visitor and looks directly at the viewer. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.