Five-dollar coin (Canada) facts for kids
| Canada | |
| Value | 5 CAD |
|---|---|
| Mass | 8.36 g |
| Diameter | 21.59 mm |
| Thickness | 1.82 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Orientation | Medal alignment |
| Composition | 90% Au, 10% Cu |
| Years of minting | 1912–1914 |
| Obverse | |
| Design | King George V |
| Designer | Bertram Mackennal |
| Reverse | |
| Design | Shield from the Canadian coat of arms |
| Designer | W.H.J. Blakemore |
The five-dollar gold piece was a special Canadian coin made of gold. It was used for a short time between 1912 and 1914. This coin was mostly gold (90%) with a little bit of copper (10%) mixed in.
A Golden Idea: The First Canadian Gold Coins
Canada decided to make its own gold coins in 1910. A law called the Currency Act said they could make coins worth $2.50, $5, $10, and $20. However, the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa only made the $5 and $10 coins. The very first test coins were made in 1911.
The Canadian $5 gold coin was the same size as the American $5 "half eagle" coin. It also had the same amount of gold. This was helpful because the 1910 law also said that certain US gold coins could be used as official money in Canada.
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Where did all the gold come from? In 1912, much of the gold used for these coins came from the famous Klondike region in Yukon. In other years, the gold came from mines in Ontario. Making these gold coins stopped in 1914 because World War I began.
In 1926, Canadian banknotes could once again be exchanged for gold. Because of this, test coins were made for $5 and $10 pieces. These were made in bronze, not gold. The design on the coin's shield was updated to show the new Canadian coat of arms. However, no new $5 and $10 gold coins were actually made for people to use.
How Many Gold Coins Were Made?
This table shows how many five-dollar gold coins were made each year:
| Year | Number Made |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 165,680 |
| 1913 | 98,832 |
| 1914 | 31,122 |
Gold Coins for Sale!
For many years, over 245,000 of these $5 and $10 gold coins were kept safe. They were held by the Bank of Canada. Then, in 2012, the Bank of Canada decided to sell some of them to the public.
About 30,000 coins were chosen for sale. These coins were in excellent condition, meaning they looked almost new. The rest of the coins were planned to be melted down.
When the sale was announced, Mark Carney, who was the head of the Bank of Canada, spoke about the coins. He said that even though gold coins are not used for shopping anymore, Canada's first gold coins are important. They are special symbols of Canada's history and pride.
