1915 Canadian Dime
The 1915 Canadian Dime is a Canadian dime struck for circulation with 688,057 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1915
- Circulation mintage
- 688,057
- Value band
- Small premium
- 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 1915 Canadian Dime worth?
At 688,057, the 1915 Canadian Dime has a smaller run than most Canadian dimes, so collectors pay a small premium for it, especially in uncirculated condition. Well circulated examples sit close to face value.
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 1915 Canadian Dime rare?
- It is scarcer than most Canadian dimes. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 1915 Canadian dimes were made?
- 688,057 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1915 Canadian Dime made of?
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver). It weighs 2.33 g and measures 18.03 mm.
- Is the 1915 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 1915 dime in context
In the middle of a run of busy years, the 1915 stands out for how few were made. The Ottawa mint struck just 688,057 dimes, down from 2,549,811 in 1914 and far below the 4,218,114 of 1916. It is the lowest mintage of George V's sterling silver dimes and one of the lowest of the whole reign. The First World War had begun in August 1914 and the economy took time to adjust.
Why the order was so small is not explained by the coins themselves, but the result is clear. The 1915 is the scarce date of the 1911 to 1919 period and the one collectors chase. In the following years wartime wages, prices and spending pushed dime production to new records, peaking at 7,877,722 in 1919. Against that background the small 1915 order looks even more unusual. Most survivors are worn, since they circulated through the war and for decades after it. Finding one with clear detail on the crown and the leaves is a real achievement for a collector of George V silver.
How to recognize it
Mackennal's crowned and robed bust of George V faces left, surrounded by GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. The reverse carries 10 CENTS and 1915 inside a crowned wreath of maple leaves. There is no mint mark, since it was struck in Ottawa. The coin is sterling silver at about 2.33 g and roughly 18 mm, with a reeded edge, holding a little under 0.07 troy oz of silver. The 5 at the end of the date can look like a 3 or 6 on a worn coin, so check it with a magnifier before you celebrate. Look at the king's crown and ear for wear.
1915 Canadian Dime by the numbers
By the numbers, the 1915 Canadian Dime ranks 18th lowest of 157 Canadian dime dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1933 Canadian Dime (672,368); the next more common is the 1898 Canadian Dime (720,000).
For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Dime with 467.5 million, about 679 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Dime with 150,000, 4.6 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1915 output was 3.7 times fewer than 1914 and 6.1 times fewer than 1916.
Over the 1910s the Mint produced 39.5 million dimes across 10 dates and varieties; the 1915 Canadian Dime accounts for 1.7% of that.
What to check on your 1915 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 1915 carries a collector premium in every grade and a strong one in better condition. It is the key date of the sterling George V dimes. Check the date carefully and examine the surfaces for cleaning, which is common. A coin with a sharp date and some crown detail is very collectible even if worn. For high grade examples a grading service is a good idea. Specialists often look for one with even, natural toning and no scratches, which can be harder to find than the date itself.
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 | 1915 |
| Circulation mintage | 688,057 |
| Composition | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) |
| Weight | 2.33 g |
| Diameter | 18.03 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the 1915 dime scarce?
Only 688,057 were struck, the lowest figure for George V's sterling dimes. It was a sharp drop from 1914 and the years that followed brought much larger wartime mintages, so the 1915 stands out.
What is the 1915 dime made of?
Sterling silver, 92.5 percent pure, weighing about 2.33 g. Canada kept that standard until 1919 and switched to 80 percent silver in 1920. The size and weight stayed the same.
Mintage figures: Dime (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.