The coins of Canada were first struck in 1858, when the government of the Province of Canada decided to adopt decimal currency. Prior to 1858, traders' tokens were in circulation, mostly denominated Halfpenny and Penny. This was due to a severe shortage of British coins.
There are 100 Cents in one Canadian dollar.
Queen Victoria Province of Canada Coinage (1858-59)
The following Province of Canada coins with the image of Queen Victoria were struck in 1858 at the Royal Mint, London, England: 1 Cent, 5 Cents, 10 Cents, and 20 Cents.
In 1859, the 1 Cent piece was also issued. The 1¢ coin was very unpopular due to their extremely light weight. They had to be discounted by around 20% to get them into circulation.
King Edward VII Coinage (1902-10)
In 1902, the first coins of King Edward VII's coinage was issued. The 1902 5c. coin is of interest to collectors, as its design includes the outmoded St. Edward's Crown instead of the Imperial crown. These coins were hoarded upon being issued, as the public believed that an error had been made. In 1903, the design on the 5c. was modified accordingly.
In 1907, Heaton's Mint struck its last issue of Canadian coins - the 1907H 1c., which is quite scarce. In 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint at Ottawa was opened. At that time the Ottawa mint was known as the Royal Mint, Ottawa branch. The name 'Royal Canadian Mint' was first used in 1931.
The reverse design on the 10c. coins include several varieties in relation to the leaves.
King George V 'Godless' Coinage (1911)
This coinage is affectionately known as the 'Godless' coinage, because the abbreviation 'DEI GRA' was omitted from King George V's titles. When the public noticed this, there was a huge outcry at this breach of tradition. All the coins from the 1c. through to the 50c. were issued. The 50c. is the scarcest of the series.
King George V Modified Coinage (1912-36)
Because of the outcry over the 'Godless' coinage of 1911, the King's titles include 'DEI GRA'. The large 1c. coin was struck right up to and including 1920, when it was replaced with a small 1c. coin similar in size to the 1c. coin of Newfoundland and the United States. The small 1c. coin was also struck in 1920 as well. There are a few key dates in the series, with the 1930 being the rarest.
The fineness of the silver coins was changed from .925 fine silver to .800 fine silver in 1920. In 1921, the last silver 5c. coins were struck. These are extremely rare. In 1922, the first nickel 5c. coins were struck.
There are a few scarce dates, especially the 1925 and the 1926. There are two types of the 1926 - Near '6' type, which has the tail of the '6' lower down, and the Far '6' type, which has the tail of the '6' high up away from the date. The 1921 50c. is also an extremely rare coin. It is the rarest of the King George V series.
The 1936 coins are technically a posthumous issue under King Edward VIII, as King George V died on the 20 January, 1936, but as the coins depict King George V's portrait, they are included here.
King George V's Silver Jubilee $1 Coin
The first Canadian silver $1 coin was issued as a commemorative coin in 1935 to commemorate King George V's Silver Jubilee. The portrait of the King on this coin is the same as that of the coins of New Zealand, Fiji, and Southern Rhodesia. This coin also bears the famous coureur des bois design, which was designed by Emmanuel Hahn. This coin, and others issued since with this reverse design, have the affectionate nickname of 'Voyageur Dollars'.
1936 Dot Emergency Coinage (1937)
There was a pressing demand for 1c., 10c., and 25c. coins, but as the Royal Canadian Mint was waiting for new tools and matrices to arrive from the Royal Mint, the decision was made to strike coins dated 1936, but a dot would be added in the area near the date to indicate that the coins were struck in 1937. The 1c. and 10c. coins with the dot are excessively rare, so rare in fact that only four or five specimens are known. The 25c. coin is a very difficult coin to find.
King George VI Imperial Coinage (1937-47)
In late 1937, the tools and matrices finally arrived from London, so the issue of the new coins of the reign of King George VI was struck immediately. The coins' current designs date from this period. The coins were as follows;
- 1 Cent - A twig with two maple leaves. (Designer: George Kruger-Gray).
- 5 Cents - A beaver sitting on a log. (Designer: George Kruger-Gray).
- 10 Cents - The famous Nova Scotian racing yacht Bluenose. (Designer: Emmanuel Hahn)
- 25 Cents - A caribou's head. (Designer: Emmanuel Hahn)
- 50 Cents - The Coat-of-Arms of Canada. (Designer: George Kruger-Gray).
- 1 Dollar - Voyageur. (Designer: Emmanuel Hahn).
There was also a silver $1 that was issued in 1939 to commemorate the Royal Visit. This was also designed by Emmanuel Hahn.
1947 Maple Leaf Coinage
As India became independent in 1947 as the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan, the King's titles needed to be modified on the coinage, but there was a demand for coinage. While waiting for the new tools and matrices to arrive from the Royal Mint, the decision was made to strike 1947-dated coinage, but a maple leaf symbol would be added next to the date to indicate that the coins were actually struck in 1948. The silver $1 exists in two types - Tall '7' and Short '7'. The Voyageur $1 is also the rarest coin. The 1c. is the most common coin.
King George VI Royal Coinage (1948-52)
The new tools and matrices arrived from London, so the issuing of the 'Maple Leaf' coinage ceased as a result. the obverse of the coins are inscribed GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX (George VI by the Grace of God, King). During the issue of this coinage, a commemorate silver $1 was struck in 1949 to commemorate Newfoundland becoming the tenth province of Canada. The 1948 coins are very scarce, especially the 50c. and the silver $1. This is due to the slow delivery of the modified tools and matrices from London.
In this coinage, there are several notable varieties. The first of these is the 1950 'No lines in 0' 50c. coin. The most famous variety of this series, is the Arnprior Dollar, which has one and a half waterlines near the bow of the canoe instead of the normal three waterlines. This variety is named after the town of Arnprior, Ontario where this variety was discovered.
Queen Elizabeth II Coinage
Several series of coins issued under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, including the current series.
Reference
Coins of Canada by J.A. Haxby and R.C. Willey.