1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel

Quick answers

Is the 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel rare?

No. 6.95 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.

How many 1946 Nickel Canadian nickels were made?

6,952,684 were struck for circulation.

What is the 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel made of?

Nickel (99.9%). It weighs 4.54 g and measures 21.2 mm, with a 12-sided shape.

Is the 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel still legal tender?

Yes. Canadian 5-cent coins are legal tender.

How to recognize it

The obverse shows George VI by T. H. Paget with the legend naming him king and Emperor of India. The reverse is Kruger Gray's beaver on a rock, with CANADA above and 5 CENTS below, adapted to fit 12 sides. The coin is pure nickel and 4.54 g, so it is gray rather than brassy and it sticks to a magnet. Compared with the wartime coins it has a softer, duller shine. On a well preserved 1946 the fur on the beaver's back and the lines of the water are crisp. The edges are smooth and the 12 corners are sharp on a well kept coin.

1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel by the numbers

In mintage terms the 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel ranks 73rd lowest of 161 Canadian nickel dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1942 Nickel Canadian Nickel (6.85 million); the next more common is the 1954 Canadian Nickel (7 million).

For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Nickel with 278.5 million, about 40 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Nickel with 200,000, 35 times fewer than this one.

Compared with the dates around it, the 1946 output was 2.7 times fewer than 1945 and 1.1 times fewer than 1947.

Over the 1940s the Mint produced 127.6 million five cent coins across 12 dates and varieties; the 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel accounts for 5.4% of that.

What to check on your 1946 Nickel Canadian Nickel

• Try a magnet. Nickel (99.9%) is magnetic, so a genuine 1946 coin sticks; a silver one would not.
• Never clean it. Rubbing or polishing leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
• 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 five cent coins.

The 1946 is a common date in worn grades, though not as plentiful as the 1949 and 1950 nickels. Look for a well struck beaver and crisp edges on all 12 sides. Nickel coins from this period often tone gray or show small spots. A coin with even, original surfaces is preferred to one that has been cleaned. Look at the corners between the 12 sides for dents and nicks, which are common. A 1946 pairs well with a 1945 Victory to show the return to peacetime coinage.

Postwar George VI nickels (1946 to 1952)

With the war over the beaver returned and so did nickel. From 1946 the coin was struck in pure nickel again but kept the 12-sided shape introduced during the war. Indian independence in 1947 meant George VI was no longer Emperor of India, so the IND IMP in the legend had to go. New dies were not ready in time, so the mint struck 1947 dated coins with a tiny maple leaf after the date during 1948 as a stopgap. From 1948 onward the legend reads simply that George VI is king by the grace of God.

1951 brought Canada's first commemorative five cents. Stephen Trenka designed a nickel refinery to mark 200 years since the Swedish chemist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt first isolated the metal in 1751. That piece was struck in pure nickel, but the Korean War soon put nickel back on the strategic list. The regular beaver coins of 1951 and 1952 were struck on plated steel, a change that lasted until 1954.

The 1948 is the scarce date of this group at 1,810,789. The 1947 maple leaf coin is popular and easy to spot once you look for the leaf after the date. The 1951 refinery design stands out at a glance and is common. For the steel coins check for rust spots and peeling plating. On all of them the beaver's back and the water lines show wear first, while the edges of a 12-sided coin should be crisp.

Mintage chart

Specifications

Frequently asked questions