1908 to 2024 · 117 years on record
The Canadian 5-cent coin
The only Canadian denomination that stopped being silver in 1921 rather than in the 1960s. Everything from 1922 onward is a base metal coin, and the metal changed five times.
Richest silver standard, .925
Silver value, Canadian dollars
0.0347 troy ounces at US$63.83 per ounce, converted at 1.3909 (Bank of Canada, 2026-09-14). At last page build
Every composition, in the Mint’s own words
Where two periods overlap on a year, the metal changed during that year and both coins carry the same date. The silver column is calculated from the weight and fineness in the same row, not transcribed from anywhere.
| Years | Composition | Weight | Diameter | Silver | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 - 1919 | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper | 1.167 g | 14.494 mm | 0.0347 ozt | not attracted |
| 1920 - 1921 | 80% silver, 20% copper | 1.167 g | 14.494 mm | 0.0300 ozt | not attracted |
| 1922 - 1942 | 99% nickel | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | attracted |
| 1942 - 1943 | 88% copper, 12% zinc (tombac) | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | not attracted |
| 1944 - 1945 | chrome plated steel | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | attracted |
| 1946 - 1951 | 99.9% nickel | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | attracted |
| 1951 - 1954 | chrome plated steel | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | attracted |
| 1955 - 1981 | 99.9% nickel | 4.54 g | 21.21 mm | none | attracted |
| 1982 - 1999 | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 4.6 g | 21.2 mm | none | not stated |
| 2000 to date | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating | 3.95 g | 21.2 mm | none | attracted |
Reading this denomination
The Mint publishes a silver-bearing composition for the 5-cent coin from 1908 to 1921. A coin dated after 1921 has no silver in it, whatever it looks like, and the only thing that separates the two is the date. That is the whole sorting rule, and it is why this site is organised by year rather than by how a coin looks.
The Mint reports coins struck in every year of its published record for this denomination, with no gaps.
Across the 117 years the Mint reports, 6,792,105,976 5-cent coins were struck. That is a count of coins made and not of coins that survive. Silver denominations in particular were withdrawn and melted in quantity once the metal was worth more than the face value, which is exactly what happened in Canada at the end of the 1960s.
Years on record
1908 to 2024
117 rows. The Mint’s table begins in 1908, the year the Ottawa mint opened. Earlier Canadian coins were struck in England and the Mint publishes no figures for them.
Silver standards struck
- .925 1908 - 1919 · 0.0347 ozt
- .800 1920 - 1921 · 0.0300 ozt
What one sells for
We publish no catalogue values. Completed sales are what people actually paid.
Completed sales, newest first, so you are looking at what buyers paid rather than what sellers are asking. Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you, and it changes nothing on this page.
Every year
A filled underline marks a year with silver in it
- 1908
- 1909
- 1910
- 1911
- 1912
- 1913
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
Mintage by year
| Year | Mintage | Silver in one coin | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46,536,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2023 | 5,574,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2022 | 83,328,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2021 | 68,376,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2020 | 31,752,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2019 | 92,736,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2018 | 87,528,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2017 | 20,000,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2016 | 267,632,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2015 | 87,360,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2014 | 66,364,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2013 | 78,120,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2012 | 202,944,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2011 | 230,328,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2010 | 126,800,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2009 | 266,448,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2008 | 278,530,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2007 | 221,472,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2006 | 184,874,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2005 | 148,082,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2004 | 123,925,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2003 | 101,793,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2002 | 135,960,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2001 | 166,686,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 2000 | 108,514,000 | none | 94.5% steel, 3.5% copper, 2% nickel plating |
| 1999 | 124,861,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1998 | 156,873,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1997 | 27,354,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1996 | 36,686,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1995 | 78,780,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1994 | 99,352,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1993 | 86,877,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1992 | 53,732,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1991 | 10,931,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1990 | 42,537,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1989 | 141,435,538 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1988 | 75,025,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1987 | 106,299,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1986 | 156,104,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1985 | 126,618,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1984 | 84,088,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1983 | 72,596,000 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1982 | 105,539,898 | none | 75% copper, 25% nickel |
| 1981 | 99,107,900 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1980 | 134,878,000 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1979 | 186,295,825 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1978 | 137,079,273 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1977 | 89,120,791 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1976 | 55,140,213 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1975 | 138,882,000 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1974 | 94,704,645 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1973 | 53,507,435 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1972 | 62,417,387 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1971 | 27,312,609 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1970 | 5,726,010 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1969 | 27,830,229 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1968 | 99,253,330 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1967 | 36,876,574 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1966 | 27,976,648 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1965 | 84,876,018 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1964 | 78,075,068 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1963 | 43,970,320 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1962 | 46,307,305 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1961 | 47,889,051 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1960 | 37,157,433 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1959 | 11,552,523 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1958 | 7,607,521 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1957 | 7,387,703 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1956 | 9,399,854 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1955 | 5,355,028 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1954 | 6,998,662 | none | chrome plated steel |
| 1953 | 16,635,552 | none | chrome plated steel |
| 1952 | 10,891,148 | none | chrome plated steel |
| 1951 | 12,642,641 | none | 99.9% nickel; or chrome plated steel |
| 1950 | 11,950,520 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1949 | 13,736,276 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1948 | 1,810,789lowest 5 of 117 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1947 | 17,198,848 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1946 | 6,952,684 | none | 99.9% nickel |
| 1945 | 18,893,216 | none | chrome plated steel |
| 1944 | 11,532,784 | none | chrome plated steel |
| 1943 | 24,760,256 | none | 88% copper, 12% zinc (tombac) |
| 1942 | 10,243,778 | none | 99% nickel; or 88% copper, 12% zinc (tombac) |
| 1941 | 8,681,785 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1940 | 13,820,197 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1939 | 5,661,123 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1938 | 3,898,974 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1937 | 4,593,263 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1936 | 4,400,450 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1935 | 3,900,000 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1934 | 3,827,303 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1933 | 2,597,867 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1932 | 3,198,566 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1931 | 5,100,830 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1930 | 3,685,991 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1929 | 5,562,262 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1928 | 4,588,725 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1927 | 5,285,627 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1926 | 933,577lowest 2 of 117 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1925 | 200,050lowest 1 of 117 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1924 | 3,066,658 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1923 | 2,475,201 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1922 | 4,763,186 | none | 99% nickel |
| 1921 | 2,582,495 | 0.0300 ozt | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| 1920 | 10,649,851 | 0.0300 ozt | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| 1919 | 7,835,400 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1918 | 6,052,289 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1917 | 5,521,373 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1916 | 2,481,675 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1915 | 1,172,258lowest 3 of 117 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1914 | 4,202,179 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1913 | 5,588,048 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1912 | 5,863,170 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1911 | 3,692,350 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1910 | 5,850,325 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1909 | 1,890,865 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
| 1908 | 1,197,780lowest 4 of 117 | 0.0347 ozt | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper |
Mintage is a count of coins struck in a calendar year. It is not a count of coins that still exist, and the Mint says so itself: there is no record of how many coins were later returned and melted. Treat a low figure as a hint about scarcity rather than as a measurement of it.