The first coin is the 1947 Canadian Maple Leaf fifty-cent piece. This coin was minted as the British colonial system was crashing, and the British king could no longer declare sovereignty over India. Demand for coinage was high before the new mints could be struck, removing this title from his name. The maple leaf beside the date indicates that the coin was actually struck in 1948.

Another interesting Canadian coin to own is the 1935 silver dollar. This commemorative coin was struck to mark the twenty-fifth year of King George V’s reign. Unfortunately, he died one year later.

Still another Canadian coin collector’s item is the 1858 twenty-cent piece. This is a silver coin bearing the likeness of Queen Victoria on one side and two maple boughs and the Cross of St. Edward on the other. These coins were withdrawn from circulation when Canada introduced a twenty-five-cent piece.

World War II buffs will likely be interested in the 1943-1945 Canadian Victory Nickels. Since nickel was scarce due to the war effort, these coins were actually made from a yellowish alloy. One side bore the face of George VI, the reigning monarch, the other displayed, instead of the expected Canadian beaver, a letter V for victory with a torch in the middle. Newly minted Victory Nickels have recently been released in Canada to commemorate the end of World War II. Unfortunately, the originals of these Canadian coins are very hard to come by.

Two recent commemorative coins that stand out as collectibles are the 1998 five-dollar Titanic coin and the 2005 Terry Fox dollar. The Titanic coin, minted to memorialize the ill-fated ship, displays a tiny likeness of the Titanic under the traditional Maple Leaf. The Terry Fox coin commemorates the life of a young man who, after losing his leg to cancer, decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Unfortunately, he was not able to complete his journey. His cancer spread to his lungs, ending his life at the age of 22. The coin depicts his courageous marathon.

Mea Culpa! Canadian Coins with a Mistake

If you enjoy collecting coins with mistakes, keep an eye out for the 1911 “Godless” King George, coins with the phrase “DEI GRA” inexplicably left off. DEI GRA stands for dei gratia or “by the grace of God.” The protest was loud and immediate, and by 1912 the phrase “DEI GRA” had been returned to the coinage tools.