Old Canadian Silver Coins

Five-cent to silver dollar:
real money north of the line.

A printable reference for Canadian silver coinage, 1858 (first Dominion issue) through 1968 (silver-out). Sterling era, the long 80%-silver run, and the 1967–68 transitional 50% issues — with exact silver content per coin.

The shortcut to remember $1 face = ~0.60 troy oz of silver For any 1920–1967 mix of Canadian 80% silver dimes, quarters, halves, or dollars. Pre-1920 sterling coins hold ~0.69 oz/$1 face; the 1967–68 50%-silver dimes hold ~0.375 oz/$1 face, the 50% quarters ~0.325 oz/$1 (lighter planchet).

Silver Content Reference — Canada

Three eras: 92.5% sterling (1858–1919), 80% silver (1920–1967), 50% transitional (1967–1968 — 10¢ & 25¢ only). Royal Canadian Mint specifications.
Canadian 80% silver was the standard for almost five decades. The 1967 Centennial coinage is the most-collected Canadian silver of the modern era.
Spot prices used for "Melt": Ag — Cu — Ni — From the calculator; live spot will differ.
Coin Years Total wt Composition Silver (ozt) ≈ Fraction Face
92.5% sterling silver — 1858–1919
5-cent (sterling)
 1858–1919 1.16 g 92.5% Ag · 7.5% Cu 0.0345 ~1/29 oz 5¢
10-cent (sterling)
 1858–1919 2.32 g 92.5% Ag · 7.5% Cu 0.0690 ~1/14 oz 10¢
25-cent (sterling) 1870–1919 5.81 g 92.5% Ag · 7.5% Cu 0.1728 ~1/6 oz 25¢
50-cent (sterling)
 1870–1919 11.62 g 92.5% Ag · 7.5% Cu 0.3456 ~1/3 oz 50¢
80% silver — 1920–1967
5-cent (80%)
 1920–1921 1.16 g 80% Ag · 20% Cu 0.0298 ~1/34 oz 5¢
10-cent (80%)
 1920–1967 2.33 g 80% Ag · 20% Cu 0.0599 ~1/17 oz 10¢
25-cent (80%)
 1920–1967 5.83 g 80% Ag · 20% Cu 0.1500 ~3/20 oz 25¢
50-cent (80%)
 1920–1967 11.66 g 80% Ag · 20% Cu 0.2999 ~3/10 oz 50¢
Silver Dollar (Voyageur)
 1935–1967 23.33 g 80% Ag · 20% Cu 0.6001 ~3/5 oz $1
50% silver — 1967–1968 transitional (10¢ & 25¢ only)
10-cent (50% transitional) 1967–1968 2.33 g 50% Ag · 50% Cu 0.0375 ~1/27 oz 10¢
25-cent (50% transitional) 1967–1968 5.05 g 50% Ag · 50% Cu 0.0812 ~1/12 oz 25¢
Pre-1920 sterling Canadian Any mix of dimes/quarters/halves: $1 face = 0.69 ozt. A $100 face bag ≈ 69 ozt.
1920–1967 80% silver The "junk silver" workhorse: $1 face = 0.600 ozt. A $100 face bag ≈ 60 ozt.
1967–68 50% transitional Dimes + quarters only (halves and dollars stayed 80%). Dimes: $1 face ≈ 0.375 ozt; quarters: $1 face ≈ 0.325 ozt (lighter 5.05 g planchet, not a scaled-up dime).
Metal legend — click any badge for details

How to use this card: at the coin shop, multiply each coin count by the "Silver (ozt)" column, sum, then multiply by the day's spot. Numismatic premiums for key dates (1921 5-cent and 50-cent — the legendary "Prince of Canadian Coins"; the 1948 "Dot" silver dollar) sit on top of melt and trade as a separate market.

1967 Centennial: all five denominations got special wildlife reverses for Canada's 100th birthday — rabbit (5¢), mackerel (10¢), bobcat (25¢), wolf (50¢), goose ($1) — designed by Alex Colville. Silver content unchanged from the 80% standard except for the 1967 dimes and quarters struck on the reduced standard from mid-1967, which moved to 50% silver as bullion prices outran face value.

1921 keys: the 1921 5-cent (silver) is one of the rarest Canadian coins — most were melted before release. The 1921 50-cent has fewer than 75 known specimens. Both are six-figure rarities even in worn grades.

Designer note: three of the most beloved Canadian silver designs are by sculptor Emanuel Hahn (1881–1957) — the Bluenose schooner on the dime (1937+), the caribou on the quarter (1937+), and the Voyageur on the silver dollar (1935+). All three were unchanged for over 50 years.

Coin photos via Wikimedia Commons. Royal Canadian Mint historical photographs and CC-licensed contributor uploads. Click thumbnails to view sources and licenses.

Data sources: Royal Canadian Mint specifications · Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins · Haxby/Willey Coins of Canada. Conversions mirrored across this site.