Royal Canadian Mint Coins: A Collector's Guide

If you collect Canadian coins, you're collecting the Royal Canadian Mint. Its coins range from the 1970s cased silver dollars to Star Trek proofs and glow-in-the-dark 2 oz coins. Here's a quick history of the Mint, how to read a Mint coin listing, and the series you'll find in our shop.

A quick history

• January 2, 1908: The mint opens in Ottawa as the Ottawa Branch of Britain's Royal Mint.
• December 1, 1931: It's officially placed in Canadian hands and becomes the Royal Canadian Mint.
• April 1, 1969: The Mint becomes a Crown corporation.
• Today: The Winnipeg facility makes Canada's circulation coins, and the Ottawa facility makes the collector coins.

Pocket change vs. collector coins

The Mint makes two very different kinds of coins. Circulation coins are the ones in your pocket. Collector coins are made for collectors, usually in fine or sterling silver, with a special finish and packaging. They still carry a face value, like $10 or $20, but nobody's spending a 1 oz proof at the corner store.

How to read a Mint coin listing

Every one of our listings breaks the coin down the same way. Here's what the specs mean:

• Face value: the denomination on the coin, like $1, $10 or $20.
• Purity: how much of the coin is silver. 99.99% is fine silver, 92.5% is sterling, and older coins can be 80% or 50%. A few coins are silver-plated, and we always say so.
• Weight and silver content: the coin's weight, and how much of that weight is pure silver, in troy ounces.
• Finish: proof, specimen, reverse proof, brilliant uncirculated and more. See Coin Finishes Explained.
• Mintage: the Mint defines this as the maximum number of coins that can be produced for that issue.
• Condition and packaging: exactly what the coin looks like and what comes with it (case, capsule, certificate). See our Collector's Guide.

Series you'll find in our shop

Stock changes every week, but these are some of the Mint series we carry:

• Commemorative silver dollars: the cased specimen dollars of the 1970s, like the 1971 British Columbia, 1974 Winnipeg and 1977 Silver Jubilee dollars. Shop Specimen Silver Dollars.
• Proof and mint sets: from the 1967 Centennial presentation set to the complete 2013 O Canada set in its wooden case. Shop Proof & Mint Sets.
• Star Trek and DC: 2016–2018 coloured proofs of the Enterprise, the Borg, the Justice League and more. Shop Star Trek & DC.
• Aviation and Transportation: $20 sterling coins with gold cameos or holograms, like the Avro Arrow and the Scotia locomotive.
• Special finishes: holograms, Swarovski crystals and glow-in-the-dark ink. Shop Hologram, Crystal & Glow and Coloured Silver Coins.
• Royal coins: the 2011 Royal Wedding and 2012 Diamond Jubilee coins. Shop Royalty & the Crown.
• Wildlife and nature: Iconic Canada, the Dinosaur Collection and more. Shop Wildlife & Nature.

What to know before you buy

Most of our coins aren't sealed-from-the-Mint pieces. They're quality coins saved from being melted, and we photograph and describe each one honestly, including any toning or missing packaging. Our Collector's Guide explains exactly how we describe condition. Shipping is free anywhere in Canada.

FAQ

Are Royal Canadian Mint coins real silver?
Most of the ones we carry are 99.99% fine silver or 92.5% sterling. Older coins can be 80% or 50% silver. Every listing gives the exact purity and silver content.

Do the coins come with a certificate?
Some do and some don't. Each listing says whether the certificate, case and box are included.

Are these coins in mint condition?
Most aren't sealed-from-the-Mint. Each listing describes the real condition, and the photos show the exact coin you'll get unless the listing says otherwise.

Is Freedom Silver part of the Royal Canadian Mint?
No. We're an independent Canadian coin shop. We're not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Do you ship for free?
Yes. Shipping is free anywhere in Canada.

Ready to dig in? Browse all our Royal Canadian Mint coins.