Canadian silver dollar facts for kids

The Canadian silver dollar (also known as the Dollar argent du Canada in French) was first made by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1935. It was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary (called the Silver Jubilee) of King George V's time as king. The picture on the back of the coin was designed by Emanuel Hahn. It shows a voyageur (a fur trader) and an Indigenous person paddling a canoe made of birch bark. The faint lines in the background are meant to look like the Northern Lights.

This "voyageur" design was used on the dollar coin until 1986. After that, it was replaced by the 1987 Canadian 1-dollar coin, which people often call the "loonie." The year 1967 was the last time the silver dollar was made for everyday use (called a business strike). After 1967, dollar coins for circulation were made of nickel. However, special collector coins continued to be made with silver.

Rare and Special Coins

The 1911 Dollar: A Coin with a Story

Even though the silver dollar wasn't officially made for people to use in 1911, three special test coins were created by the Royal Mint in London. Two of these were made of silver, and one was made of lead. Because these coins were unique and not meant for circulation, they are known as pattern coins.

One of the silver coins has been on loan to the Bank of Canada since 1976 and is now shown at the Bank of Canada Museum. The lead coin was found much later in 1977 and was also moved to the Bank of Canada's collection.

The second 1911 silver dollar had a long journey! It belonged to William Ellison-Macartney, a leader at the Royal Mint. After he passed away, the coin was sold many times. In 1960, it was shown to the public for the first time at coin conventions. Because it was so rare, it earned the nickname "Emperor of Canadian Coins." This special coin eventually returned to Canada in 2003 when a famous Canadian collector, George H. Cook, bought it for a lot of money. After he died, the coin was bought again in 2018 for $734,000. The new owners offered it to the Bank of Canada Museum, wanting it to stay in Canada for everyone to see. Now, this "Emperor" coin is reunited with its silver twin and lead partner for the first time in over 100 years!

The 1947 Dollar: Different Sevens and a Maple Leaf

The 1947 Voyageur Dollar has ten different versions! These can be grouped into three main types: the Pointed Seven, the Blunt Seven, and the Maple Leaf issue.

Pointed Seven Coins

Some 1947 coins have a "7" that is tall with a tail pointing back to the right. Sometimes, a small dot appears near the "7" due to a small mistake in the coin-making process. There are six different versions of the Pointed 7 coin. For example, some have a "double-punched 4" or extra "HP" initials (from the designer T.H. Paget) under the king's picture.

Blunt Seven Coins

Other 1947 coins have a shorter "7" with its tail pointing almost straight down. This is called the "blunt seven." There are two versions of this coin, including one with a "double punched HP" under the king's picture.

Maple Leaf Issue Coins

In 1947, India became independent from the British Empire. This meant that the words "IND:IMP:" (which meant "Emperor of India") had to be removed from Canadian coins. Because new coin designs were delayed, the Mint continued to make 1947 coins but added a small Maple Leaf symbol near the date. This tiny maple leaf showed that these coins were actually made in 1948. These "Maple Leaf" coins are very rare and valuable today!

1950–1952: The Arnprior Mystery

During the 1950s, a small problem happened with the "Voyageur Dollar" design. The coin shows four faint water lines at each end of the canoe. When the coin-making tools (called dies) were polished, parts of these lines sometimes disappeared by accident. This led to coins having different numbers of water lines.

What is the Arnprior Type?

Collectors noticed these differences. Coins with exactly "2 and a half" water lines on the right side of the canoe became known as "Arnprior" types. If there was any trace of the bottom water line, it wasn't considered an Arnprior type.

Why is it called Arnprior?

In 1955, the Royal Canadian Mint made 2,000 silver dollars for a company in Arnprior, Ontario. These coins happened to have the "2 and a half" water lines. This made collectors very interested, and the name "Arnprior" stuck for any dollar coin with missing water lines.

1953: Queen Elizabeth II's Shoulder Fold

In 1953, Canadian coins featured the new picture of Queen Elizabeth II. The original design by Mary Gillick had a small problem: two lines on the Queen's shoulder, meant to be a fold in her dress, didn't show up well on the coins. Collectors called this the "No Shoulder Fold" variety. Later that year, the Mint's chief engraver, Thomas Shingles, fixed the design so the shoulder and hair details were clearer. This improved version became known as the "Shoulder Fold" variety.

1965: Five Varieties of the Dollar

The year 1965 brought a new picture of Queen Elizabeth II to the coins, and the dollar coin itself had five different versions! These varieties are identified by small details like the size of the beads on the Queen's crown and the shape of the number "5" in the date. Some "5"s are pointed at the bottom, while others are blunt.

1982: Thin Coins

In 1982, some nickel dollar coins were accidentally made on very thin metal blanks (called planchets). A normal 1982 dollar weighs about 15.62 grams. The rare "thin planchet" coins weigh only about 7.78 grams and are much thinner. It's believed that only two of these rare thin coins exist!

Coin Materials Over Time

The materials used to make the "Voyageur" dollar changed over the years:

Special Collector Dollars

The Royal Canadian Mint also makes special dollar coins for collectors. These coins often celebrate important events or anniversaries in Canadian history. They are usually made of silver or nickel and are not meant for everyday use.

Commemorative Nickel Dollars

These are special dollar coins made of nickel to celebrate different events:

Commemorative Silver Dollars (1935–1980)

These are special silver dollars made to remember important moments:

Commemorative Silver Dollars (1981–1999)

In 1981, the Mint started making two different types of collector silver dollars:

• Proof: These coins have a frosted (matte) design that stands out against a shiny background.
• Brilliant Uncirculated (BU): These coins are shiny all over.

Commemorative Silver Dollars (2000–2016)

Special Edition Proof Silver Dollars

These are extra special proof silver dollars, often with very limited numbers made: