Newfoundland one cent facts for kids
Before Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, it had its very own money for many years! In 1863, Newfoundland started using a decimal currency. This means their money was based on units of 100, just like our dollars and cents today.
Newfoundland had a good variety of coins, including a special twenty-cent coin. The most important coin back then was the Spanish American dollar, also known as the 8-real piece. So, Newfoundland decided to make its own dollar worth the same as this Spanish coin. Their new cent coin was equal to the British halfpenny, and about $4.80 was worth one pound sterling (the main British money unit).
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Queen Victoria Cents: 1865–1896
The first one-cent coins in Newfoundland featured Queen Victoria, who was the Queen of the British Empire at the time. These coins were made for many years, showing her portrait.
Coin Details for Victoria Cents
These coins were made from a mix of metals: mostly copper, with a little bit of tin and zinc. They weighed about 5.67 grams and were around 25.53 millimeters wide.
| Years | Designers | Engraver | Composition | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1865–1876 | Leonard C. Wyon and Horace Morehen | Thomas J. Minton | .95 copper, .04 tin, .01 zinc | 5.67 grams | 25.53 mm |
How Many Victoria Cents Were Made?
Hundreds of thousands of these coins were made over the years. Some years, like 1885, had fewer coins made, making them a bit rarer for collectors today.
| Year and Mint Mark | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1865 | 240,000 |
| 1872H | 200,000 |
| 1873 | 200,000 |
| 1876H | 200,000 |
Special 1880 Victoria Cents
For the 1880 cent coins, there are three different versions! The difference is in how the number '0' in the date looks. It can be narrow, or wide and placed either evenly or a bit lower than the other numbers. Coin collectors love finding these small differences!
More Victoria Cent Mintages
| Year and Mint Mark | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 400,000 |
| 1885 | 40,000 |
| 1888 | 50,000 |
| 1890 | 200,000 |
| 1894 | 200,000 |
| 1896 | 200,000 |
Edward VII Cents: 1904–1909
After Queen Victoria, her son Edward VII became King. New one-cent coins were made with his picture on them. The back of the coin (called the reverse) was similar to the Victoria coins, but the crown on it was changed to St. Edward's Crown.
The picture of King Edward VII on these coins was a bit larger than on Canadian coins from the same time. Also, the letters around his picture were very small.
Coin Details for Edward VII Cents
These coins had the same weight and diameter as the Victoria cents and were made from a similar copper mix.
| Designer | Engraver | Composition | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. W. DeSaulles | W. H. J. Blakemore | .95 copper, .04 tin, .01 zinc | 5.67 grams | 25.53 mm |
How Many Edward VII Cents Were Made?
Fewer Edward VII cents were made compared to some of the Victoria cents.
| Date and Mint Mark | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1904H | 100,000 |
| 1907 | 200,000 |
| 1909 | 200,000 |
George V Cents: 1913–1936
Next came George V, who was King from 1910 to 1936. The back of these coins was exactly the same as the Edward VII coins. The picture of King George V on the front was similar to the one used on Canadian coins.
If a coin was made at the Ottawa Mint (a place where coins are made), it would have a special 'C' mark on it. This 'C' stands for Canada!
Coin Details for George V Cents
The mix of metals used for these coins changed slightly over the years, but they kept the same weight.
| Designer | Engraver | Composition (1913–1920) | Composition (1926–1936) | Weight | Diameter (1913, 1929–1936) | Diameter (1917–1920) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir E .B. MacKennal | Sir E. B. MacKennal | .95 copper, .04 tin, .01 zinc | .955 copper, .030 tin, .015 zinc | 5.67 grams | 25.53 mm | 25.40 mm |
How Many George V Cents Were Made?
Many George V cents were made, especially in 1917.
| Date and Mint Mark | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1913 | 400,000 |
| 1917C | 702,350 |
| 1919C | 300,000 |
| 1920C | 302,184 |
| 1929 | 300,000 |
| 1936 | 300,000 |
George VI Cents: 1938–1947
In 1937, the government of Newfoundland thought about making the cent coin smaller. They wanted to save money! The new coin design featured the Pitcher plant, a unique plant found in Newfoundland. However, some people thought the coin was too small and the plant didn't look natural on it.
During World War II, Newfoundland cents were made in Ottawa, Canada, instead of England. This was done to avoid the dangers of shipping coins across the Atlantic Ocean during wartime. Coins made in Ottawa between 1940 and 1947 usually have a 'C' mint mark, but the 1940 and 1942 coins do not have this mark.
Coin Details for George VI Cents
These coins were much lighter and smaller than the previous cents.
| Designer | Engraver | Composition | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percy Metcalfe | Walter J. Newman | .955 copper, .030 tin, .015 zinc | 3.24 grams | 19.05 mm |
How Many George VI Cents Were Made?
A very large number of George VI cents were made, especially in 1942.
| Date and Mint Mark | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1938 | 500,000 |
| 1940 | 300,000 |
| 1941C | 827,662 |
| 1942 | 1,996,889 |
| 1943C | 1,239,732 |
| 1944C | 1,328,776 |
| 1947C | 313,772 |
Special Varieties of 1940 and 1941 Cents
Some 1940 and 1941 cents have what are called "re-engraved" or "repunched" varieties. This means parts of the date were re-cut or re-stamped onto the coin die. Sometimes the whole date looks re-engraved, and sometimes it's just the '4' followed by the '0' or '1'. These special coins are much rarer and are highly sought after by coin collectors!
