Canadian 1-dollar coin · Elizabeth II
1953 Canadian 1 dollar
A 1953 Canadian 1-dollar coin contains 0.5993 troy ounces of silver.
Silver value, Canadian dollars
0.5993 troy ounces at US$64.87 per ounce, converted at 1.3917 (Bank of Canada, 2026-09-15). At last page build
What the Mint says it is made of
| Period | Composition | Weight | Silver | Diameter | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 - 1967 | 80% silver, 20% copper | 23.3 g | 0.5993 ozt | 36.06 mm | not attracted |
How many were struck
Reported mintage, 1953
That is the 17th lowest of the 80 years in which the Mint reports striking a 1-dollar coin, in a range running from 18,780 to 205,405,000. 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
Elizabeth II
The effigy of Queen Elizabeth II first appeared on Canadian coins in 1953 when she was 27 years old. The effigy pictured here was used until 1964, with the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA, meaning “Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, the Queen. ”
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.
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.
The design on the reverse
1935 - 1938, 1940 - 1948, 1950 - 1957, 1959 - 1963, 1965 - 1966, 1968 - 1969, and 1975 - 1986
This design by Emanuel Hahn features a voyageur and his Indigenous guide travelling by canoe. The illustration has been modified only slightly over the years. | |
The rest of your 1953 change
Nobody inherits one denomination. If there is a 1953 1-dollar coin in the tin, these are the other coins carrying that date and whether they hold any silver.
| Denomination | Composition in 1953 | Silver | Mintage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cent penny | 98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc | none | 67,806,016 |
| 5 cents nickel | chrome plated steel | none | 16,635,552 |
| 10 cents dime | 80% silver, 20% copper | 0.0599 ozt | 17,706,395 |
| 25 cents quarter | 80% silver, 20% copper | 0.1500 ozt | 10,456,769 |
| 50 cents half dollar | 80% silver, 20% copper | 0.2999 ozt | 1,630,429 |