Back in the 60's my PPL arrived in a brown ( well yes, pooh,) coloured cloth covered hardbacked folder thingy with string knotted through the pages so new ones could be added. I kept that and when I got my pathetic Canadian license, just folded paper, I kept that in the folder with a lacky band.
A while ago I got a notice from Tran Can telling me I had to upgrade, with photo, to a new booklet. When I sent in my application they declined it because they said they needed proof of citizenship. PoC consisted of a copy of my passport signed by a designated person. It turned out that a designated person was one from a list of chief Flying Instructors, not the usual passport thing here, for which nowadays even a close relative can sign.
I called Tran Can and the department head told me how proud they were that their checks on citizenship were stiffer than those at Citizenship. The irony that I had to drive over 100Kms to get a signature by a designated person that confirmed a passport gained on my wife's signature was entirely lost on him as was the fact that the point of a pilot's license was to attest to pilot competence, not citizenship.
As it happened I could not get down to our CFI for four weeks and before I could send it in my new, blue booklet arrived in the post.