Nickel (Canadian coin)

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.

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

History

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

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

Victoria & Edward VII

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

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

Canadian Centennial nickel

60th anniversary of the end of World War II

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

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

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

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

• Canada portal
• Money portal
• Numismatics portal

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

Notes

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.