In Canada, the fifty-cent piece () is a circulation coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint worth 50 cents, equal to of a Canadian dollar. It features the Canadian coat of arms on the reverse and the effigy of the current reigning monarch on the obverse.

Though it is regularly minted, it is not made in large quantities (approximate annual average production of 150,000) and, since 2004, has only been available to the public directly from the mint.

The denomination has seen limited public use since the mid-20th century due to low demand, yet it remains part of Canada's official currency system and appears in annual mint sets and commemorative releases.

The mint's website lists the 2007 50-cent coin as "rarely seen yet replete with tradition".

History At the opening ceremonies for the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint on January 2, 1908, Governor General Earl Grey struck Canada's first domestically produced coin: a silver 50-cent coin bearing the effigy of King Edward VII.

The 50-cent coin bears the coat of arms given to Canada by King George V in 1921. The inscriptions included on the coin are:

Demand for 50-cent coins was low during the early to mid-1920s, and only 28,000 coins were issued between 1921 and 1929. When demand increased briefly in 1929, the master of the Ottawa Mint ordered the melting of the remaining 1920 and 1921 coins, totalling 480,392 pieces. The decision was based on concerns that releasing a large number of coins dated 1920 and 1921 might lead the public to suspect counterfeits. Approximately 75 examples of the 1921 issue are believed to survive, mostly from specimen sets sold at the time.

Although the denomination is rarely used in everyday transactions, it remains popular among coin collectors and within numismatic communities.Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Anniversary Edition, W.K. Cross, Editor, p. 143, , The Charlton Press, Toronto

In 2002, the Royal Canadian Mint made an unsuccessful attempt to promote circulation of the coin by issuing a special edition marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II. After this failed promotion, the mint ceased distributing 50-cent coins to banks. They are now available only in rolls or in numismatic sets sold directly by the mint, typically at twice their face value, for example $25 per roll of 25 coins.Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, Volume One, 67th Edition, W.K. Cross, Editor, p. 194, , The Charlton Press, Toronto

The royal effigy of King Charles III, introduced in 2023, was designed by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

Composition and size

Years Mass Diameter Thickness CompositionCharlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Anniversary Edition, W.K. Cross, Editor, pp. 139–153, , The Charlton Press, Toronto1870–191911.62 g29.72 mmn/a92.5% silver, 7.5% copper1920–196711.66 g29.72 mmn/a80% silver, 20% copper1968–20008.10 g27.13 mm1.93 mm99.9% nickel2001–present6.90 g27.13 mm1.95 mm93.15% steel, 4.75% copper, 2.1% nickel plating

Circulation figures Victoria and Edward VII

Year Mintage Notes 1870 450,000 1870 LCW 1871 200,000 1871 H 45,000 1872 H 80,000 This figure includes the inverted "A" for "V" in Victoria variety. 1881 H 150,000 1888 60,000 1890 H 20,000 1892 151,000 1894 29,036 1898 100,000 1899 50,000 1900 118,000 1901 Victoria 80,000 1902 Edward VII 120,000 1903 H 140,000 1904 60,000 1905 40,000 1906 350,000 1907 300,000 1908 128,119 1909 302,118 1910 Victorian leaves 649,521 The leaves on the reverse were slightly modified. 1910 Edwardian leaves

George V and George VI

Year Mintage Notes 1911 no "" 209,972 The words were removed from the obverse of the coin to make room for . 1912 with "" 285,867 "" was later restored in 1912 after public backlash for "godless" coins. 1913 265,889 1914 160,128 1916 459,070 1917 752,213 1918 754,989 1919 1,113,429 1920 584,691 1921 Unknown Only 75 to 100 coins are known to exist. 1929 228,328 1931 57,581 1932 19,213 As coin collecting was becoming widely popular, many of these coins were saved. 1934 39,539 1936 38,550 1937 192,016 1938 192,018 1939 287,976 1940 1,996,566 1941 1,714,874 1942 1,974,164 1943 3,109,583 1944 2,460,205 1945 1,959,528 1946 950,235 This figure includes the "hoof in 6" variety. 1947 424,885 1947 ML 38,433 Obverse removed 1948 37,784 1949 858,991 This figure includes the "hoof over 9" variety. 1950 2,384,179 This figure includes the "lines" and "no lines" in 0 varieties. 1951 2,421,730 1952 2,596,465

Elizabeth II

Year Mintage Notes 1953 no strap 1,630,429 This variety is also called with/without shoulder fold. 1953 strap 1954 506,305 1955 753,511 1956 1,379,499 1957 2,171,689 1958 2,957,266 Large reverse design, simple Canadian coat of arms 1959 3,095,535 Small reverse design, complete coat of arms 1960 3,488,897 1961 3,584,417 1962 5,208,030 1963 8,348,871 1964 9,377,676 1st obverse portrait 1965 12,629,974 2nd obverse portrait 1966 7,920,496 Last regular issue coin in silver 1967 4,211,392 Canadian Centennial; this coin features a howling wolf and is dated 1867–1967. 1968 3,966,932 1969 7,113,929 1970 2,429,526 1971 2,166,444 1972 2,515,632 1973 2,546,096 1974 3,436,650 1975 3,710,000 1976 2,940,719 1977 709,839 1978 3,341,892 This figure includes the "square" and "round" jewels varieties. 1979 3,425,000 1980 1,574,000 1981 2,690,272 1982 2,236,674 This figure includes the "small" and "large" beads varieties. 1983 1,177,000 1984 1,502,989 1985 2,188,374 1986 781,400 1987 373,000 From this date forward, 50¢ coins were generally minted in smaller amounts. 1988 220,000 1989 266,419 2nd obverse portrait 1990 207,000 3rd obverse portrait 1991 490,000 1992 445,000 125th anniversary of Confederation; this coin is dated 1867–1992. 1993 393,000 1994 987,000 1995 626,000 1996 458,000 1997 387,000 Revised Canadian coat of arms on the reverse 1998 308,000 1999 496,000 2000 559,000 Struck in nickel 2001 P 389,000 2002 P (GJ) 14,440,000 (1952–2002) Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee 2003 P — 50¢ coins minted since 2003 are not for circulation. 2004 0 2005 200,000 2006 98,000 2007 250,000 2008 211,000 2009 150,000 2010 150,000 2011 175,000 2012 250,000 2013 375,000 2014 500,000 2015 625,000 2016 800,000 2017 875,000 Includes sesquicentennial commemorative coin 2018 750,000 2019 750,000 2020 750,000 2021 375,000 2022 375,000 2023 Undetermined

Charles III

+ Year Mintage Notes 2023 Undetermined First year of issue with the effigy of King Charles III on the obverse 2024 Available through mint rolls and sets 2025 Specimen 30,000 Available through mint rolls and sets 2026 Undetermined Available through mint rolls and sets

Commemoratives

Date Mintage Artist Reason William Henry James Blakemore 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint F.G. Peter 110th anniversary of speed and figure skating F.G. Peter 100th anniversary of ski racing Friedrich Peter 110 years of Canadian soccer Friedrich Peter 20 years of Canadian auto racing D.H. Curley 95th anniversary of the 1904 Open Golf Championship D.H. Curley 125th anniversary of the first Canadian vs US Yacht Race D.H. Curley 100th anniversary of the first competition for the Grey Cup D.H. Curley 60th anniversary of the invention of basketball Brian Hughes 125th anniversary of the first recorded modern hockey game Brian Hughes 240th anniversary of the introduction of curling to North America Brian Hughes 160th anniversary of the first steeplechase held in North America Brian Hughes Birth of the first 5-pin bowling league Thomas Shingles Elizabeth II (Golden Jubilee; non-circulating silver proof) Mary Gillick Elizabeth II (Golden Jubilee) Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Battle of Britain Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Battle of Scheldt Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Battle of Sicily Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Battle of the Atlantic Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Liberation of the Netherlands Peter Mossman 60th anniversary of the end of World War II – Raid of Dieppe William Henry James Blakemore 100th anniversary of Royal Canadian Mint Various 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens William Henry James Blakemore 100th anniversary of George V on Canadian coins Christie Paquet Elizabeth II (Diamond Jubilee) Yves Bérubé 100th anniversary of Titanic Christie Paquet 150th anniversary of the Cariboo Gold Rush DC Comics 75th anniversary of Superman Yves Bérubé 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland Matthew Bowen 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Québec Conferences Pierre Leduc 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (Centennial Wolf; 2017 version) Ariana Cuvin 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (Canada 150 logo; silver proof) 100th anniversary of the 50-cent coin 75th anniversary of George VI on the 1943 50-cent coin Steve McPhee 200th anniversary of the 49th Parallel Thomas Shingles 60th anniversary of the 50-cent coin (1959–2019) George Kruger Gray 100th anniversary of the Canadian Coat of Arms Cathy Bursey-Sabourin Elizabeth II (Platinum Jubilee; silver proof) Cathy Bursey-Sabourin Elizabeth II (Platinum Jubilee)

Collecting Known as the "king of Canadian coins", the 1921 Canadian 50-cent coin is rare, with a high-grade example (PCGS MS-66) having sold for US$227,546 in a January 2010 Heritage Auction.coins.ha.com The highest-graded specimen is graded by PCGS at MS-67 and was last sold (by Diverse Equitiesdiverseequities.com) in the year 2000 to a private collector for the US$400,000.

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