Nickel (Canadian coin)

In Canada, a nickel, officially the five-cent piece, is a coin worth five cents, equal to 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 The first coinage minted for what would later become the Canadian Confederation originated in legislation enacted in 1853. Per the Act 16 Vict. c. 158, the Province of Canada was to issue "dollars, cents, and mills" that would co-circulate with British shillings and pence. This law eventually came to fruition five years later in 1858 when new coins were ordered to improve the Canadian monetary system. Five-cent coins in particular were struck during this year in a sterling silver alloy, had a diameter of 15.5 mm, and weighed 17.93 grains per piece. A young bust of Queen Victoria appears on the coin's obverse, while the reverse is decorated with a wreath with the given date and denomination below a crown. This was a one year issue as silver coins in general were not minted for Canada as a whole again until 1870. An issue arose due to the aftermath of the American Civil War, when currency of the United States dollar depreciated. Many unused silver coins were thus brought into Canada which disrupted the Canadian banking system. The Canadian government responded by expelling foreign silver coins and issuing new ones to take their place. Five-cent coins dated 1870 were all struck at the Royal Mint in London with the same weight and diameter as their 1858 counterparts.

Types and specifications Definitive typesImageYearsMassDiameterComposition1858–19011.16 g15.5 mm92.5% silver, 7.5% copper1902–19101.16 g15.5 mm92.5% silver, 7.5% copper1911–19211.17 g15.5 mm92.5% silver, 7.5% copper (1911–1919)80% silver, 20% copper (1920–1921)1922–19364.54 g21.21 mm99.9% nickel1937–19424.54 g21.21 mm99.9% nickel1942–19454.54 g21.3 mm88% copper, 12% zinc (tombac) (1942–1943) Chrome plated steel (1944–1945)1946–19524.54 g21.3 mm99.9% nickel (1946–1951) Chrome plated steel (1951–1952)1953–19644.54 g21.3 mmChrome plated steel (1953–1954) 99.9% nickel (1955–1964)1965–19814.54 g21.3 mm99.9% nickel1982–19894.6 g21.2 mm75% copper, 25% nickel1990–2001, 2006(No "P"on obverse)4.6 g21.2 mm75% copper, 25% nickel 1999–2006(With "P")3.95 g21.2 mm94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating 2003–2022(With RCM logoon obverse)3.95 g21.2 mm94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating 2023–present3.95 g21.2 mm94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating

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

George V and George VI

Year Mintage Notes 1911 3,692,350 No "": The words "" were removed from the obverse of the coin to make room for "" (Emperor of India). It was restored in 1912 after public backlash. 1912 5,863,170 With "": The wording was restored to the obverse of the coin around the king's bust. 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 Approximately 460 "1921" dated coins are now known as almost all of these were remelted 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 Tombac 24,760,256 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 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 Steel 18,893,216 1946 Nickel 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 Beaver 4,313,410 Struck in nickel-plated steel, this figure includes the scarce high relief and common low relief varieties. 1951 Nickel Bicentennial 9,028,507 Struck in nickel, the reverse design features a nickel refinery for the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the alloy. 1952 10,891,148 Struck in nickel-plated steel

Elizabeth II

Year Mintage Notes 1953 16,635,552 This figure includes the "strap", "no strap", and "near"/"far" leaf varieties. 1954 6,998,662 Struck in nickel-plated steel 1955 5,355,028 Struck in nickel 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 This figure includes the "extra water line" variety. 1965 84,876,018 This figure includes the "small" and "large" beads varieties. 1966 27,976,648 1967 36,876,574 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 First recorded year of proof strikes. 1982 64,924,400 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 78,528,000 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" (nickel-plated steel alloy) mark under Elizabeth's portrait on the obverse. 2000 108,514,000 2000 P 2,300,000 2001 30,035,000 2001 P 136,650,000 2002 P 135,960,000 Elizabeth II Golden Jubliee; dated 1952–2002 2003 61,392,180 2003 P 31,388,921 2004 P 123,925,000 2005 P 148,082,000 2005 P WWII ANV 59,269,192 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 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 2022 83,328,000

Charles III

Year Mintage Notes 2023 28,422,000 First year of issue with a bust of Charles III facing left as per custom 2024 61,824,000 2025

Commemoratives

Date Mintage Reason 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint (matte finish) 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint (mirror finish) Sesquicentennial of Canada's first postage stamp 125th anniversary of the Royal Military College 85th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (World War I) Elizabeth II (Golden Jubilee) 60th anniversary of D-Day 60th anniversary of the end of World War II; this nickel is dated 1945–2005. 75th anniversary of Canada's Voyageur Silver Dollar 100th anniversary of George V on Canadian coins 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (Centennial rabbit; 2017 version) 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (our home and native land) 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (the forgotten 1927 designs) 75th anniversary of VE-Day Elizabeth II (Platinum Jubilee)

Collecting According to author Allen G. Berman, Canadian nickels struck in pure nickel are "very difficult to grade" due to the alloy's hardness. 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. The coin believed to be the finest-known specimen (PCGS MS-67) sold for at auction in January 2010. It was then sold by the Canadian Numismatic Company for $160,000 to a private collector in early 2012.

Nickel (Canadian coin)

Bron en licentie