1911 Canadian Dime
The 1911 Canadian Dime is a Canadian dime struck for circulation with 2.74 million made. Value band: metal value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1911
- Circulation mintage
- 2,737,584
- Value band
- Metal value
- Composition
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver)
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1911 Canadian Dime worth?
The 1911 Canadian Dime is a silver coin with 0.0693 troy ounces of pure silver, so its floor is its metal value: 0.0693 times the day's silver spot price. With 2.74 million made, worn examples trade for about their silver; collectors pay more for sharp, original coins and much more for uncirculated ones with full luster.
What would make yours worth more:
- Sharp detail with original luster
- A recognized variety for the date
- Professional grading for a key date
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 1911 Canadian Dime rare?
- Not by mintage. 2.74 million were made, but it is silver, so even worn examples are worth their metal value rather than face value.
- How many 1911 Canadian dimes were made?
- 2,737,584 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1911 Canadian Dime made of?
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver). It weighs 2.33 g and measures 18.03 mm.
- Is the 1911 Canadian Dime still legal tender?
- Yes. Canadian dimes are legal tender, but a silver one is worth more for its metal than its face value.
The 1911 dime in context
The 1911 dime is famous for what it leaves out. George V's first Canadian coins carried the legend GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:, meaning George V, King and Emperor of India. Missing were the words DEI GRA:, for by the grace of God, which had appeared on Canadian coins for years. Many Canadians were offended and the coins were quickly nicknamed Godless. The government promised a fix and the legend was corrected for 1912.
The Ottawa mint still struck plenty of the Godless dimes, with a published figure of 2,737,584, so they are not rare. What makes the 1911 special is that it is a one year type: no other Canadian dime carries this exact legend. It is also the first dime with Bertram Mackennal's portrait of George V. The reverse was unchanged from 1910, keeping the Edwardian leaves wreath. For many collectors the 1911 is one of the most interesting dates of the reign because of the controversy, which is still talked about more than a century later. The same legend appears on the other 1911 Canadian coins.
How to recognize it
Bertram Mackennal's bust shows George V crowned and robed, facing left, with GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP: around it. That legend is the key detail: compare it with a 1912 or later dime, which adds DEI GRA: after the king's name. The reverse shows 10 CENTS and 1911 inside a crowned maple wreath in the Edwardian style. The coin is sterling silver at about 2.33 g and 18 mm with a reeded edge, so a little under 0.07 troy oz of silver. Note that the king faces left, the opposite way from his father on the Edwardian coins. Mackennal's portrait would remain on the dime until 1936.
1911 Canadian Dime by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 1911 Canadian Dime ranks 52nd lowest of 157 Canadian dime dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1907 Canadian Dime (2.62 million); the next more common is the 1912 Canadian Dime (3.24 million).
For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Dime with 467.5 million, about 171 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Dime with 150,000, 18 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1911 output was 1.6 times fewer than 1910 and 1.2 times fewer than 1912.
Over the 1910s the Mint produced 39.5 million dimes across 10 dates and varieties; the 1911 Canadian Dime accounts for 6.9% of that.
What to check on your 1911 Canadian Dime
- Check the date first: silver Canadian dimes carry dates from 1858 to 1968; this one has 0.0693 troy oz. Silver coins are not magnetic and ring clearly when dropped on a hard surface.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or polishing leaves fine scratches that collectors spot at once and that cut the value of silver dates sharply.
- Look at the high points of the portrait and the design. Wear there sets the grade. The grade in turn drives the value of older dimes.
The 1911 carries a collector premium because of its age, silver and one year legend. Most are worn but readily available, which makes this a great coin to own for the story alone. Look for clear lettering in the legend, as that is what defines the type. Better grades with sharp crown detail are more desirable. It pairs well with a 1912 to show the before and after. Keep an eye out for examples with even, original toning, which collectors generally prefer to coins that have been polished or dipped.
George V sterling dimes (1911 to 1919)
George V succeeded his father in May 1910 and his first Canadian coins are dated 1911. Bertram Mackennal modeled the crowned and robed bust, which faces left. The 1911 legend, GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:, left out DEI GRA:, the words for by the grace of God and the public reaction was loud enough that the dies were changed. From 1912 the legend reads GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. The 1911 coins are still known as the Godless issue.
The reverse kept 10 CENTS and the date inside a crowned maple wreath. In 1913 two versions of the wreath were used, one with small leaves and one with broader large leaves; the large leaves dimes are much the scarcer. The dime was still sterling silver, about 2.33 g and 18 mm, all struck in Ottawa. Mintages fell to 688,057 in 1915 and then soared during the First World War, as wages and prices rose and people needed more change. By 1919 the Ottawa mint struck 7,877,722 dimes, a record that stood until 1940.
These are the last sterling silver dimes Canada made, each with a little under 0.07 troy oz of pure silver. Most are worn, so look at the crown and the jewels on the king's robe for remaining detail. Check 1913 dimes closely against pictures of the two leaf styles, since the large leaves version is a genuine rarity. The 1911 is popular as a one year legend and the 1915 is the low mintage date of the period.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1911 |
| Circulation mintage | 2,737,584 |
| Composition | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) |
| Weight | 2.33 g |
| Diameter | 18.03 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the 1911 Canadian dime called Godless?
Its legend leaves out DEI GRA:, short for Dei Gratia, by the grace of God. Many Canadians objected to the omission and the words were restored on coins dated 1912.
Is the Godless 1911 dime rare?
Not especially. The published mintage is 2,737,584, so they turn up fairly often. Its appeal is that it is a one year type with a famous story, which keeps collectors interested.
Mintage figures: Dime (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.