6 denominations on record · Elizabeth II on the obverse
Canadian coins dated 1990
Nothing struck for circulation in 1990 contains any silver. Whatever a 1990 coin is worth, it is not worth it as metal.
Coins struck in 1990, all denominations
425,462,000Across 6 of the 6 denominations on record for 1990. Nothing dated 1990 was struck in a silver-bearing alloy, so there is no melt figure for this year. Value here is a question about condition and scarcity, not about metal.
Every denomination dated 1990
| Coin | Composition in 1990 | Weight | Silver | Mintage | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cent penny | 98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc | 2.5 g | none | 218,035,000 | not attracted |
| 5 cents nickel | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 4.6 g | none | 42,537,000 | not stated |
| 10 cents dime | 99.9% nickel | 2.07 g | none | 65,023,000 | attracted |
| 25 cents quarter | 99.9% nickel | 5.05 g | none | 31,258,000 | attracted |
| 50 cents half dollar | 99% nickel (minimum) | 8.1 g | none | 207,000 | attracted |
| 1 dollar | 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating | 7 g | none | 68,402,000 | attracted |
What was on the coins
1 cent
The maple leaf twig (12-sided coin)
The shape of the maple leaf twig was altered to make identification easier for the visually impaired. The coin reverted to the round design in 1997.
5 cents
The beaver design was created in 1937 by G.E. Kruger-Gray as part of a coin modernization effort.
25 cents
Emanuel Hahn's caribou design was adopted in 1937 in an effort to modernize Canada's circulation coins.
50 cents
The Canadian Government approved a new Coat of Arms in 1957. In 1959 it appeared on the 50-cent coin, where it remains to this day.
1 dollar
The 1-dollar bill was replaced in 1987 by a new eleven-sided circulation coin nicknamed the 'Loonie'. Robert-Ralph Carmichael's popular design features a Canadian loon, and is made of aureate bronze.
Whose portrait is on it
A Canadian coin dated 1990 carries the effigy of Elizabeth II, used from 1990 to 2002.
A new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled in 1990 when she was 64 years old. This was the first to be designed by a Canadian, Dora de Pédery-Hunt, and the coin kept the ELIZABETH II D G REGINA inscription.
What 1990 coins sell for
Completed sales rather than a catalogue value, because we do not publish catalogue values.
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.