Canadian Coins

 

Canadian coins are very popular among coin collectors, especially those who enjoy collecting coins minted several years ago. The first Canadian coins were issued in either bronze or silver, until gold coinage was introduced in 1912. Gold was only used for a few years in earlier coins, since Canada adopted ideas from other countries and started using nickel for their coinage. The use of various metals for Canadian coins changed over the years, with many current coins being minted out of a combination of various metals including steel, nickel, copper, aluminum, and bronze.

 

Some of the most popularly collected Canadian coins are those that commemorate famous Kings or Queens, such as the Queen Victoria coinage that was initially struck in 1858. They were then released again in 1870 after Confederation, and were available in five different denominations until 1901.

The year 1902 brought the King Edward VII coinage, with the 1902 five cent piece being most popular among serious coin collectors. Its design includes the outmoded St. Edward’s Crown instead of the Imperial State Crown, which many believe was a significant error. The design was corrected in 1903, making the coins issued in 1902 very rare and collectible.

 

More recent Canadian coins are also highly collectible, such as the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin. It was first introduced in 1979 and was only available in gold, but is now currently minted in Silver, Palladium, and Bimetallic versions. It is available in several denominations, with the most significant being the one million dollar Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin with over 100 kilograms of gold. The front of the coin includes a picture of the maple leaf, along with the weight and metal used to mint the coin. The obverse side varies based on the year it was minted, but contains a picture of Queen Elizabeth II at various ages throughout her life.