Canadian Coins and Paper Money

Canadian Coins

Canada's coinage history begins in 1858 with the introduction of its first denominations: 1, 5, 10, and 20 cent pieces, minted at the Royal Mint in London. The initial circulation included 500,000 5 cent coins, 1,250,000 10 cent coins, and 750,000 20 cent coins.

King Edward VII's coinage debut in 1902 featured a notable 5¢ coin design, showcasing St. Edward's Crown instead of the Imperial State Crown. This led to initial hoarding under the belief of a minting error, prompting a design revision in 1903.

The Royal Canadian Mint in Canada produces the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf coins directly. These coins boast the highest purity of .9999 silver, setting a global standard. The iconic single maple leaf graces the reverse, while the obverse features Queen Elizabeth II's likeness.

Canada minted its inaugural silver coin in 1858, aligning its currency system with the USA's 100 cents to one dollar. The addition of 0.25 and 0.50 cent silver coins in 1870 marked a nationalist stride for the Royal Canadian Mint, renowned for its professionalism worldwide.

From 1935 to 1966, the Canadian Mint produced high-quality silver coins at 80% purity, notably featuring the Voyager design recognized internationally.

Since its inception in 1988, the one ounce Silver Maple Leaf has maintained its status as one of the world's purest silver coins, boasting .9999 silver purity and a face value of $5.00, equivalent to 31.1 grams of silver.

Due to its exceptional purity of 99.99%, the Maple Leaf is highly sought after by investors, as most mints typically produce silver coins at 99.90% purity, requiring specialized processes for achieving such high purity levels. This makes the Maple Leaf a preferred choice for both collectors and investors alike, renowned for its liquidity and intrinsic value.

Canadian silver coins are esteemed globally, often ranked among the top three investments alongside Australia's Lunar Series silver coins and the USA's Silver Eagles, known for their security and investment value.