7 denominations on record · Elizabeth II on the obverse
Canadian coins dated 1996
Nothing struck for circulation in 1996 contains any silver. Whatever a 1996 coin is worth, it is not worth it as metal.
Coins struck in 1996, all denominations
955,504,000Across 7 of the 7 denominations on record for 1996. Nothing dated 1996 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 1996
| Coin | Composition in 1996 | Weight | Silver | Mintage | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cent penny | 98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc | 2.5 g | none | 445,746,000 | not attracted |
| 5 cents nickel | 75% copper, 25% nickel | 4.6 g | none | 36,686,000 | not stated |
| 10 cents dime | 99.9% nickel | 2.07 g | none | 51,814,000 | attracted |
| 25 cents quarter | 99.9% nickel | 5.05 g | none | 28,216,000 | attracted |
| 50 cents half dollar | 99% nickel (minimum) | 8.1 g | none | 458,000 | attracted |
| 1 dollar | 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating | 7 g | none | 17,101,000 | attracted |
| 2 dollars toonie | outer ring 99% nickel, inner core 92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel | 7.3 g | none | 375,483,000 | not stated |
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.
2 dollars
The polar bear (1996-1998 and 2001-2003)
When introduced in 1996, the 2-dollar circulation coin showed a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Canadian artist Dora de Pedery-Hunt. This image of Her Majesty appeared on all Canadian circulation coins from 1990 to 2003. The iconic Polar Bear design on the reverse is the work of renowned wildlife artist Brent Townsend.
Whose portrait is on it
A Canadian coin dated 1996 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 1996 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.