Canadian 50-cent coin · Edward VII
1908 Canadian 50 cents (half dollar)
A 1908 Canadian 50-cent coin contains 0.3456 troy ounces of silver.
Silver value, Canadian dollars
0.3456 troy ounces at US$63.42 per ounce, converted at 1.3909 (Bank of Canada, 2026-09-14). At last page build
What the Mint says it is made of
| Period | Composition | Weight | Silver | Diameter | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 - 1919 | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper | 11.62 g | 0.3456 ozt | 29.72 mm | not attracted |
How many were struck
Reported mintage, 1908
That is the 7th lowest of the 96 years in which the Mint reports striking a 50-cent coin, in a range running from 19,213 to 14,440,000. Mintage is a count of coins made, not of coins that survive: the Mint has no way of knowing how many of these were later returned and melted, and for a silver denomination in the 1960s that number is large.
Portrait on the obverse
Edward VII
Edward VII was His Majesty King Charles III’s great-great-grandfather. The Latin inscription appearing around him reads EDWARDVS VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR (or D:G REX IMPERATOR, depending on the denomination), both of which mean “Edward VII, by the grace of God, the King and Emperor. ”
What one actually sells for
This site publishes no catalogue values, because those belong to Charlton and the grading services and we have no licence to them. Completed sales are the honest substitute.
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The design on the reverse
1858 - 1936
The design of two crossed maple boughs appears on all 10-cent, 25-cent, and 50-cent coins from 1858 to 1936.
The rest of your 1908 change
Nobody inherits one denomination. If there is a 1908 50-cent coin in the tin, these are the other coins carrying that date and whether they hold any silver.