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Nickel (Canadian coin)

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Nickel
Canada
Value0.05 CAD
Mass3.95 g
Diameter21.2 mm
Thickness1.76 mm
Edgesmooth (plain)
CompositionNickel-plated steel
94.5% steel,
3.5% Cu,
2% Ni plating
Years of minting1858–present
Catalog number–
Obverse
DesignElizabeth II, Queen of Canada
DesignerSusanna Blunt
Design date2003
Design discontinued2023
DesignCharles III, King of Canada
DesignerSteven Rosati
Design date2023
Reverse
DesignBeaver sitting on a rock
DesignerG.E. Kruger Gray
Design date1937

The Canadian five-cent coin, commonly called a nickel, is a coin worth five cents or one-twentieth of a Canadian dollar. It was patterned on the corresponding coin in the neighbouring United States. It became the smallest-valued coin in the currency upon the discontinuation of the penny in 2013.

History

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Further information: Coins of the Canadian dollar § History
See also: History of Canadian currency

Types and specifications

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Definitive types
Image Years Mass[1][2] Diameter[1][2] Composition[1][2]
1858–1901 1.16 g 15.5 mm 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
1902–1910 1.16 g 15.5 mm 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
1911–1921 1.17 g 15.5 mm 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper (1911–1919)
80% silver, 20% copper (1920–1921)
1922–1936 4.54 g 21.21 mm 99.9% nickel
1937–1942 4.54 g 21.21 mm 99.9% nickel
1942–1945 4.54 g 21.3 mm 88% copper, 12% zinc (tombac) (1942–1943)
Chrome plated steel (1944–1945)
1946–1952 4.54 g 21.3 mm 99.9% nickel (1946–1951)
Chrome plated steel (1951–1952)
1953–1964 4.54 g 21.3 mm Chrome plated steel (1953–1954)
99.9% nickel (1955–1964)
1965–1981 4.54 g 21.3 mm 99.9% nickel
1982–1989 4.6 g 21.2 mm 75% copper, 25% nickel
1990–2001, 2006
(No "P"
on obverse) 		4.6 g 21.2 mm 75% copper, 25% nickel
1999–2006
(With "P") 		3.95 g 21.2 mm 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating
2003–2023
(With RCM logo
on obverse) 		3.95 g 21.2 mm 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating
2023–present 3.95 g 21.2 mm 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating

Circulation figures

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Victoria & Edward VII

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Year Mintage[3][4] Notes
1858 1,500,000 This figure includes the small date, and large date over small date varieties.
1870 2,800,000 This figure includes the "Flat rim" and "Wire rim" varieties.
1871 1,400,000 Two different varieties have a 1 over 1 and 7 over 7 in the date.
1872 H 2,000,000 The "H" on the coin refers to "Ralph Heaton & Sons".
1874 H 800,000 This figure includes the "Plain 4" and "Crosslet 4" varieties.
1875 H 1,000,000 This figure includes the small and large date varieties.
1880 H 3,000,000
1881 H 1,500,000
1882 H 1,000,000
1883 H 600,000
1884 200,000 Key date, lowest mintage of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
1885 1,000,000 This figure includes the "small 5", "large 5", and " large 5 over small 5" varieties.
1886 1,700,000 This figure includes the "small" and "large 6" varieties.
1887 500,000 Includes a "7 over 7" date variety.
1888 1,000,000
1889 1,200,000
1890 H 1,000,000
1891 1,800,000
1892 860,000
1893 1,700,000
1894 500,000 No coins were minted in 1895.
1896 1,500,000
1897 1,319,283 Varieties include a "wide" and "narrow" 8, and a "narrow 8 over a wide 8" in the date.
1898 580,717
1899 3,000,000
1900 1,800,000 This figure includes the "Oval" and "Round 0's" varieties.
1901 Victoria 2,000,000
1902 Edward VII 2,120,000
1902 H 2,200,000 This figure includes the "large broad" and "small narrow" H varieties.
1903 1,000,000
1903 H 2,640,000
1904 2,400,000
1905 2,600,000 Varieties include a "wide" and "narrow" date and a 5 over 5.
1906 3,100,000 Varieties include a "wide" and "narrow" date and a "low 6".
1907 5,200,000 Varieties include a "wide" and "narrow" date and a "low 7".
1908 1,220,524 Varieties include a "small" and "large" 8 in the date.
1909 1,983,725 This figure includes the "round/rounded" and "pointed" leaves varieties.
1910 3,850,325 This figure includes the "round/rounded" and "pointed" leaves varieties.

George V & George VI

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World War II "Victory" nickel in Tombac
World War II "Victory" nickel in Steel
200th anniversary of the discovery of nickel
Year Mintage[2] Notes
1911 3,692,350
1912 5,863,170
1913 5,588,048
1914 4,202,179
1915 1,172,258
1916 2,481,675
1917 5,521,373
1918 6,052,289
1919 7,835,400
1920 10,649,851
1921 2,582,495 Almost all of these coins were melted at the mint.
1922 4,763,186
1923 2,475,201
1924 3,066,658
1925 200,050 Key date, lowest mintage of the George V/VI eras.
1926 933,577 This figure includes the "near" and "far" 6 varieties.
1927 5,285,627
1928 4,588,725
1929 5,562,262
1930 3,685,991
1931 5,100,830
1932 3,198,566 Varieties include a "near" and "far" 2.
1933 2,597,867
1934 3,827,303
1935 3,900,000
1936 George V 4,400,450
1937 George VI 4,593,263
1938 3,898,974
1939 5,661,123
1940 13,820,197
1941 8,681,785
1942 Nickel 6,847,544
1942 Tombac 3,396,234
1943 24,760,256[5] Intended to stimulate the war effort. The message "We Win When We Work Willingly" is engraved in Morse code on the rim of the coin.
1944 Steel[a] 11,532,784 Intended to stimulate the war effort. The message "We Win When We Work Willingly" is engraved in Morse code on the rim of the coin.
1945 18,893,216[5]
1946 6,952,684
1947 7,603,724 The "dot" variety is included in this figure.
1947 Maple Leaf 9,595,124 Obverse "IND: IMP:" aka Indiae Imperator (Emperor of India) removed.
1948 1,810,789
1949 13,736,276
1950 11,950,520
1951 4,313,410 This figure includes the rare high relief and common low relief varieties.
1951 Nickel Bicentennial 9,028,507[5] 200th anniversary of the discovery of nickel. Features a nickel refinery.
1952 10,891,148

Elizabeth II

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Canadian Centennial nickel
60th anniversary of the end of World War II
Year Mintage Notes
1953 16,635,552 This figure includes the "strap", "no strap", and "near"/"far" leaf varieties.
1954 6,998,662
1955 5,355,028
1956 9,399,854
1957 7,387,703
1958 7,607,521
1959 11,552,523
1960 37,157,433
1961 47,889,051
1962 46,307,305
1963 43,970,320
1964 78,075,068
1965 84,876,018 This figure includes the "small" and "large" beads varieties.
1966 27,976,648
1967 36,876,574[5] Canadian Centennial; this nickel features a hopping rabbit and is dated 1867–1967.
1968 99,253,330
1969 27,830,229
1970 5,726,010
1971 27,312,609
1972 62,417,387
1973 53,507,435
1974 94,704,645
1975 138,882,000
1976 55,140,213
1977 89,120,791 This figure includes the "high" and "low" 7 varieties.
1978 137,079,273
1979 186,295,825
1980 134,878,000
1981 99,107,900
1982 105,539,898 Cupronickel alloy
1983 72,596,000
1984 84,088,000
1985 126,618,000
1986 156,104,000
1987 106,299,000
1988 75,025,000
1989 141,435,538
1990 42,537,000
1991 10,931,000
1992 53,732,000 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada; this nickel is dated 1867–1992.
1993 86,877,000
1994 99,352,000
1995 78,780,000
1996 36,686,000 This figure includes the "near" and "far" 6 varieties.
1997 27,354,000
1998 156,873,000
1999 124,861,000 About 20,000 coins were minted with a "P" mark under Elizabeth's portrait on the obverse.
2000 108,514,000
2000 P 2,300,000 The "P" mark under Elizabeth's portrait on the obverse refers to the nickel plated steel alloy.
2001 30,035,000
2001 P 136,650,000 The "P" mark under Elizabeth's portrait on the obverse refers to the nickel plated steel alloy.
2002 P 135,960,000 Elizabeth II Golden Jubliee; dated 1952–2002
2003 61,392,180[6]
2003 P 31,388,921[6] The "P" mark under Elizabeth's portrait on the obverse refers to the nickel plated steel alloy.
2004 P 123,925,000
2005 P 148,082,000
2005 P WWII ANV 59,269,192[7] 60th anniversary of the end of World War II; this nickel is dated 1945–2005.
2006 43,008,000
2006 P 184,874,000
2007 221,472,000
2008 278,530,000
2009 266,448,000
2010 126,800,000
2011 230,328,000
2012 202,944,000
2013 78,120,000
2014 66,364,000
2015 87,360,000
2016 140,952,000
2017 126,680,000
2017 150th Anv 20,000,000[8] 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada; this nickel is dated 1867–2017.
2018 87,528,000
2019 92,736,000
2020 31,752,000
2021 68,376,000[9]
2022 83,328,000

Charles III

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Year Mintage Notes
2023 28,422,000 First year of issue with a bust of Charles III facing left as per custom
2024 TBA

Commemoratives

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Date Mintage Reason
1998
25,000
 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint (matte finish)
1998
25,000
 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint (mirror finish)
2001
59,573
 Sesquicentennial of Canada's first postage stamp
2001
25,834
 125th anniversary of the Royal Military College
2002
22,646
 85th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (World War I)
2003
33,490
 Elizabeth II (Golden Jubilee)
2004
20,019
 60th anniversary of D-Day[b]
2005
42,792
 60th anniversary of the end of World War II; this nickel is dated 1945–2005.[c]
2010
4,996
 75th anniversary of Canada's Voyageur Silver Dollar
2011
6,000
 100th anniversary of George V on Canadian coins
2017
8,017
 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (Centennial rabbit; 2017 version)
2017
20,000
 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (our home and native land)
2017
5,500
 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (the forgotten 1927 designs)
2020
15,000
 75th anniversary of VE-Day[d]
2023
952,000
 Elizabeth II (Platinum Jubilee)

Collecting

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According to author Allen G. Berman, Canadian nickels struck in pure nickel are "very difficult to grade" due to the alloy's hardness.[10] Five-cent coins dated 1921 are among the rarest and most collectible Canadian circulation coins, known as "the Prince of Canadian Coins." Estimates of the number of specimens known range between 400 and 480. In May 1921, the government of Canada passed an act authorizing the change to the larger nickel coin, and subsequently the majority of the 1921 mint run was melted down.[11] The coin believed to be the finest-known specimen (PCGS MS-67) sold for US$115,000 at auction in January 2010.[12] It was then sold by the Canadian Numismatic Company for $160,000 to a private collector in early 2012.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ One "1944" dated coin is known to have survived in Tombac.
  2. ^ A circulating version of this coin celebrating the end of World War II later appeared in 2005.
  3. ^ This nickel came in a set, was struck in silver, and features George VI on the obverse with the original Morse code edge. 6,065 of these coins were also struck in gold-plating.
  4. ^ This coin is identical to its D-Day 60th anniversary counterpart, but is dated 1945–2020.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Industrious, enduring–the 5-cent coin". mint.ca. Royal Canadian Mint. Archived from the original on January 12, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "5 cents". Royal Canadian Mint. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  3. ^ Cuhaj, George S., ed. (November 29, 2012). Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900 (7th ed.). Krause Publications. p. 156. ISBN 978-1440230851.
  4. ^ Michael, Thomas, ed. (July 29, 2016). 2017 Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 (44th ed.). Krause Publications. p. 310. ISBN 978-1440246548.
  5. ^ a b c d Michael, Thomas, ed. (July 29, 2016). 2017 Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 (44th ed.). Krause Publications. pp. 311–312. ISBN 978-1440246548.
  6. ^ a b Cross, W. K. (July 2005). A Charlton Standard Catalogue Canadian Coins (60th ed.). Charlton Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0889682979.
  7. ^ Michael, Thomas, ed. (July 13, 2016). 2017 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date (11th ed.). Krause Publications. p. 236. ISBN 978-1440246555.
  8. ^ Royal Canadian Mint (2017). 2017 Annual Report – Delivering Results (PDF) (Report). p. 86. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  9. ^ Royal Canadian Mint (2021). Annual Report 2021 - Strong Today, Ready for Tomorrow (PDF) (Report). p. 101. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  10. ^ Allen G. Berman (2002). Warman's Coins & Paper Money: A Value & Identification Guide. Krause Publications. p. 120. ISBN 9780873493437.
  11. ^ Haxby, J.A.; R.C. Willey (2003). Coins of Canada (21st ed.). Toronto: Unitrade Press. ISBN 1-894763-09-2.
  12. ^ "Canada: George V 5 Cents 1921,... Canada | Lot #20069". Heritage Auctions.
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