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Canadian Silver Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has a proud history of being a leader in modern bullion and collectible numismatics. As a pioneer, innovator, and having recruited talented artisans, the RCM produces the finest coins that are often included among the most sought out in the world. With the RCM being among the foremost refiners of silver, their main duty is to produce and provide circulation coinage for their own nation and nations that have no Mint of their own, including coins, bars, tokens, medallions, and medals in gold, silver, platinum, palladium and base metals. They do produce a wide range of collectible coins that are available to coin enthusiasts around the world.
Notable Canadian Silver Coins
With state-of-the-art technology, the Royal Canadian Mint has produced some of the most beautiful coins collectors desire and actively seek to obtain. With the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, the RCM has beautiful designs to include Canada’s official Coat of Arms, and an entire series dedicated to Wildlife, Predators, and Birds of Prey.
2022 Canada $20 1-oz Silver Remembrance Day Poppy Proof
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2019 United States & Canada Silver Eagle & Maple Leaf Pride of Two Nations 2-Coin Set NGC PR70 Early Releases w/Flag Labels
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The History of Canadian Silver Coins
The Mint began striking coins at their Ottawa facility on January 2, 1908, as part of the TheRoyal Mint and was striking coins until 1931 when the Mint became a wholly Canadian institution. With their Ottawa headquarters and Winnipeg manufacturing plant, Canada has become one of the world's most successful and sophisticated Mint processes with operations that include bullion DNA technology.
Since the iconic Royal Canadian Mint Silver Maple Leaf was introduced in 1988, the RCM has been involved with a variety of different silver coin series. The obverse of every silver coin the RCM offers may be similar year over year as they feature various effigies of Queen Elizabeth II; however, the reverse image is what adds the variety of every silver coin with detailed images from distinctive Canadian wildlife or even pop culture heroes.
When Did They Stop Putting Silver in Canadian Coins?
In the 1960s, Mints around the world began removing silver from currency coins, including Canada. Up until then, since their first coin was produced in 1908, Canada, like every other country, produced silver coins for everyday circulation. The composite of silver in coins was already diminishing up to this point in time, but with the continued rise in silver prices, laws eventually prohibited silver to be used for circulation after 1968.
Types of Canadian Silver Coins
The RCM has created some extremely popular silver coins and silver coin series that collectors and enthusiasts actively seek out. Below are a variety of Canadian coins with silver in them:
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf Coins
This silver coin is the most recognizable annual release from the Royal Canadian Mint. Featuring the iconic sugar maple leaf, this 1 oz. coin has been Canada’s equivalent to the renowned Silver Eagle Series by the U.S. Mint. Having a face value of 5 dollars and featuring a sugar maple leaf on the reverse, this coin is known for quality and technical innovation, and although the design has largely remained the same over the course of the 30-year lifespan of the series, slight changes and dramatic technological improvements have continued to evolve.
Recently the RCM introduced the first ever Incuse and Super Incuse Maple Leaf which features sunken design features that allow this historic design to be appreciated like never before.
Canadian Wildlife Series Silver Coins
The RCM’s Canadian Wildlife series of silver coins is one of its most successful to date. Launched in 2011, this series celebrates iconic animals that roam the Canadian wilderness: the Timber Wolf, the Grizzly Bear, the Cougar, the Moose, the Longhorn Antelope, and the Bison. Each coin is struck from one troy ounce of .9999 pure silver, having a face value of 5 dollars.
Canadian Silver Predator Series
In 2016, the RCM answered the demands of collectors to have a new, refreshing wildlife coin series, and with the first of four being the Predator Cougar Coin, three other coins followed to depict the Lynx, Wolf, and Grizzly. Having a silver content of .9999 and a face value of 5 dollars, each coin has the obverse being Queen Elizabeth II.
Birds of Prey Series Silver Coins
The Birds of Prey Series in 2014 was debuted by the Royal Canadian Mint and each new coin was released on a biannual basis and includes a peregrine falcon, red-tailed hawk, great horned owl, and bald eagle. Each coin has a face value of 5 dollars and a silver content of .9999.
Canadian Silver Coin Compositions
Since 1968, the only Canadian silver coins we see are either commemorative coins or bullion. Before this time, common coin silver compositions included 92.5% silver between 1908-1919, but after the end of WWI, most all Canadian coins containing silver dropped to 80% until 1968. Coins at this time went down to containing 50% silver until by the end of the year, it was prohibited to have any coins containing silver. Since then, pretty much all circulating Canadian coins have had a composite of nickel or a combination of nickel and copper.
Do Any Canadian Coins Contain Silver?
When it comes to what Canadian coins are silver, any current circulating coin from Canada does not have silver, but rather a composite of nickel or nickel-copper. The overall rise in silver prices has limited its use in both coins and manufacturing purposes. Also, the demand from investors has encouraged the use of silver to be allocated more toward bullion, making the only Canadian coins with silver in them collectibles, bullion, or those made from 1908-1968.
