Is My Canadian Coin Silver?
For most of the 1900s, Canada made its everyday pocket change out of real silver. Plenty of those coins are still out there in jars, drawers and grandpa's old coffee can. Here's how to tell if yours is one of them.
Check the date first
If it's a Canadian dime, quarter or half dollar dated 1966 or earlier, it's silver. Dollars are silver up to 1967. Nickels (5-cent pieces) are silver only up to 1921. The 1967 and 1968 dimes and quarters are where it gets spicy. More on those below.
Silver by coin and year
Canada used three silver mixes over the years: 92.5% (sterling) up to 1919, 80% from 1920 to 1967, and 50% on some dimes and quarters in 1967 and 1968.
| Coin | 92.5% silver | 80% silver | 50% silver | No silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5¢ | up to 1919 | 1920–1921 | — | 1922 on |
| 10¢ | up to 1919 | 1920–1967 | 1967–1968 | some 1968, 1969 on |
| 25¢ | up to 1919 | 1920–1967 | 1967–1968 | some 1968, 1969 on |
| 50¢ | up to 1919 | 1920–1967 | — | 1968 on |
| $1 | — | 1935–1967 | — | 1968 on |
How much silver is inside?
The pure silver inside each coin, in troy ounces:
| Coin | Sterling era | 80% era | 50% era |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5¢ | 0.0345 oz | 0.0301 oz | — |
| 10¢ | 0.0690 oz | 0.0599 oz | 0.0375 oz |
| 25¢ | 0.173 oz | 0.1500 oz | 0.0812 oz |
| 50¢ | 0.3456 oz | 0.2999 oz | — |
| $1 | — | 0.5993 oz | — |
Collector cheat code: ten 80% dimes ≈ 0.6 oz, ten quarters ≈ 1.5 oz, ten halves ≈ 3 oz.
1967 and 1968: the tricky years
Silver prices were climbing in 1967 and 1968, so Canada started taking the silver out. Coins from those years can look exactly the same but have different metal inside:
- 1967 dimes and quarters came in both 80% and 50% silver. Either way, there's silver in there.
- 1968 dimes and quarters came in 50% silver or pure nickel.
- 1967 halves and dollars are 80% silver. The 1968 ones are nickel.
How to test yours
Nickel is magnetic and silver isn't. Grab a strong magnet (a fridge magnet is too weak) and hold it up to your 1968 dime or quarter:
- It sticks or pulls toward the magnet: nickel. Sorry, bud.
- Nothing happens: silver. Let's go.
Bonus check: silver gives a higher, longer "ring" when you tap it. It's not bulletproof, but it's a fun party trick.
How Canada took the silver out
- 1858: The Province of Canada issues its first decimal coins. The 5¢ and 10¢ are sterling silver.
- 1920: Silver drops from 92.5% (sterling) to 80%.
- 1922: The tiny silver 5¢ "fish scale" is replaced by a bigger nickel coin.
- 1935: Canada's first circulating silver dollar, the Voyageur.
- 1967: Centennial designs by Alex Colville. Dimes and quarters come in both 80% and 50% silver.
- 1968: Halves and dollars switch to nickel. Dimes and quarters come in 50% silver or nickel.
Key dates worth checking
- About 400 silver 1921 nickels are believed to survive. The Mint struck 2,582,495, then melted almost all of them. Collectors call it "the Prince of Canadian Coins."
- Only 422,741 dimes were made in 1948, the lowest of any silver dime from 1937–1966. Check every '48.
- Some "1947" coins were actually struck in 1948 and carry a tiny maple leaf next to the date. Grab a magnifier.
Quick answers
Are Canadian coins from 1967 silver?
Most of them are. 1967 halves and dollars are 80% silver. 1967 dimes and quarters came in both 80% and 50%, but either way there's silver in there.
Are 1968 Canadian quarters silver?
Some are. They were made in 50% silver and in pure nickel. Do the magnet test: if it sticks, it's nickel.
Is a Canadian nickel (5 cents) silver?
Only if it's dated 1921 or earlier. From 1922 on, 5-cent coins were made of nickel and other metals.
Are Canadian pennies silver?
Nope. Canada never made its everyday 1-cent coins out of silver.
How much silver is in a Canadian quarter?
An 80% silver quarter (1920–1967) has about 0.15 troy oz of pure silver in it.
Keep learning
- Canadian Silver Dollars: from the 1935 Voyageur to the Loonie.
- Canada's Small Silver: halves, caribou quarters, Bluenose dimes and fish scales.
Skip the coffee can and start the collection: shop our Canadian silver coin bundles or our Canadian silver dollars.