Nickel (Canadian coin)

Canadian coin worth 5 cents

Nickel

Canada

Value| 0.05 CAD
Mass| 3.95 g
Diameter| 21.2 mm
Thickness| 1.76 mm
Edge| smooth (plain)
Composition| Nickel-plated steel
94.5% steel,
3.5% Cu,
2% Ni plating
Years of minting| 1858–present
Catalog number| –
Obverse
Design| Charles III, King of Canada
Designer| Steven Rosati
Design date| 2023
Reverse
Design| Beaver sitting on a rock
Designer| G.E. Kruger Gray
Design date| 1937

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

[edit]

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|

Further information: Coins of the Canadian dollar § History

See also: History of Canadian currency

The "Victory nickel", struck from 1943 to 1945, was the first non-standard circulating Canadian coin other than commemorative dollars; the reverse features a flaming torch and a large V that stands for both Victory and the coin's denomination. The rim denticles were replaced by the phrase "We win when we work willingly" in Morse Code. This design was re-used in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of V-E Day. Almost uniquely in the history of Canadian coinage, the reverse was engraved to scale by Thomas Shingles; most coin designs are engraved at a much larger scale and reduced with a pantograph.

In 1951, a special commemorative five-cent piece depicting a nickel refinery was struck to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the metal's initial discovery by Swedish chemist Axel F. Cronstedt. Due to the onset of the Korean War, production of this commemorative was halted to preserve nickel for the war effort, resulting in a second non-commemorative 1951 "nickel" made of plated steel.

In 1967, all the circulating coins received a special reverse for the Canadian Centennial; the nickel featured a rabbit.

In proof sets issued since 1996, the five cent coin is made of sterling silver. Some commemorative five cent coins are also made of sterling silver.

## Types and specifications

[edit]

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
| 2003–2022
(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

[edit]

### Victoria & Edward VII

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Canadian Centennial nickel 60th anniversary of the end of World War II

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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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Canada portal
* Money portal
* Numismatics portal

* Big Nickel
* Dei Gratia Regina (or Rex), which appears abbreviated on the face of the coin.

## Notes

[edit]

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

[edit]

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. ^ Berman, Allen G. (2002). Warman's Coins & Paper Money: A Value & Identification Guide. Krause Publications. p. 120\. ISBN 9780873493437.
11. ^ Haxby, J. A.; Willey, R.C. (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.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Nickel (Canadian coin) at Wikimedia Commons
* Value of Canadian Nickel
* Canadian Nickel varieties

* v
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Canadian currency

Topics|

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Circulating currency|

| Coinage|

* 5¢ (nickel)
* 10¢ (dime)
* 25¢ (quarter)
* 50¢
* $1 (loonie)
* $2 (toonie)

|

Banknotes|

* $5
* $10
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Historical coinage|

| Confederation|

* 1¢ (penny)
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|

Newfoundland|

* 1¢
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* $2

Banknote series|

* Chartered banknotes
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Historical currencies|

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Commemoratives|

* 1¢ (penny)
* 5¢ (nickel)
* 10¢ (dime)
* 25¢ (quarter)
* 50¢
* $1
* $2
* Commemorative banknotes

Bullion|

* Silver Maple Leaf
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Pre-confederation
tokens|

* Blacksmith token
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Community currencies|

* Calgary dollar
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Other|

* Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins (1900–1999)
* Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins (2000–2019)

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