1934 Canadian Dime
The 1934 Canadian Dime is a Canadian dime struck for circulation with 409,067 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1934
- Circulation mintage
- 409,067
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- 80% silver, 20% copper
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 1934 Canadian Dime worth?
At 409,067, the 1934 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 1934 Canadian Dime rare?
- It is scarcer than most Canadian dimes. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 1934 Canadian dimes were made?
- 409,067 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1934 Canadian Dime made of?
- 80% silver, 20% copper. It weighs 2.33 g and measures 18.03 mm.
- Is the 1934 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 1934 dime in context
The 1934 is one of the two great Depression dates of the George V dime. The Ottawa mint struck only 409,067, down from 672,368 in 1933 and far below the millions struck before the crash. It is the second lowest dime mintage of the twentieth century, beaten only by the 1935. The economy had bottomed out but recovery was slow and banks had little need for new small change.
Few people in 1934 had money to put aside, so almost all of these dimes went straight into circulation and stayed there. That is why examples in good condition are so hard to find today. Collectors who build a set of George V dimes often find 1934 and 1935 the last two to fill and both carry collector premiums in any grade. With only 25,000 or so more struck than the 1935, the 1934 is close to its partner in scarcity. The figures for both are lower than the much more famous 1948, which shows how deep the Depression cut into coin production.
How to recognize it
George V's crowned and robed bust by Mackennal faces left, ringed by GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. On the reverse, 10 CENTS and 1934 sit inside a crowned wreath of maple leaves. The coin is 80 percent silver, weighing about 2.33 g at 18 mm with a reeded edge, holding roughly 0.06 troy oz of silver. The 4 at the end of the date is the critical detail. Make sure it is a clear 4 and not a worn or altered digit before deciding you have a 1934. Ottawa coins carry no mint mark and this one is no exception. The crown and the king's ear show wear first.
1934 Canadian Dime by the numbers
In mintage terms the 1934 Canadian Dime ranks 6th lowest of 157 Canadian dime dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1885 Canadian Dime (400,000); the next more common is the 1948 Canadian Dime (422,741).
For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Dime with 467.5 million, about 1143 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Dime with 150,000, 2.7 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1934 output was 1.6 times fewer than 1933 and about the same as 1935.
Over the 1930s the Mint produced 21.2 million dimes across 10 dates and varieties; the 1934 Canadian Dime accounts for 1.9% of that.
What to check on your 1934 Canadian Dime
- Check the date first: silver Canadian dimes carry dates from 1858 to 1968; this one has 0.0599 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 1934 carries a collector premium even when worn and a strong one in better grades. Check the date closely with a magnifier, since a valuable date like this can attract altered coins. Look for detail on the crown and the leaves. Coins with original surfaces are preferred. If yours is in nice condition, a grading service can confirm it and protect it. Even a worn coin with a clear date is a good addition to a George V set and it pairs naturally with the 1935.
George V 80% silver dimes (1920 to 1936)
Silver prices rose sharply during and after the First World War and in 1920 Canada lowered the fineness of its silver coins from 92.5 to 80 percent. The dime kept its size and weight of about 2.33 g, so the only change was less silver: roughly 0.06 troy oz per coin. Then the demand for change collapsed in the slump that followed the war. After 1921 no dimes were struck at all until 1928, a gap of six years.
The design did not change. Mackennal's crowned bust of George V faces left with GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:, while the reverse has 10 CENTS and the date inside a crowned wreath of maple leaves. Production restarted in 1928 at a little under 2.5 million and then fell away as the Depression took hold, to 672,368 in 1933, 409,067 in 1934 and just 384,056 in 1935, the lowest dime mintage of the twentieth century. George V died in January 1936 but 1936 dimes still carry his portrait.
For collectors the period is about the Depression dates. The 1934 and 1935 are the ones to look for and are hard to find in better grades, with 1933 not far behind. Wear shows first on the crown and the king's ear, then on the leaf veins. A small raised dot below the wreath on a 1936 dime marks one of the rarest Canadian coins, struck in 1937 while new dies were prepared, though only a handful are known.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1934 |
| Circulation mintage | 409,067 |
| Composition | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| Weight | 2.33 g |
| Diameter | 18.03 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
How many 1934 dimes were struck?
The published mintage is 409,067, all from the Ottawa mint. It is the second lowest dime mintage of the twentieth century, just above the 384,056 of 1935. It is a key date of the reign.
Is a worn 1934 dime still worth keeping?
Yes. Even a well worn 1934 carries a collector premium because of its low mintage. Keep it out of circulation and handle it by the edges to avoid adding wear or marks.
Mintage figures: Dime (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.