Every Canadian Penny From 1858 to 2012

Large cents, 1858 to 1920

The first cents were issued in 1858 and 1859 by the Province of Canada, before Confederation. Cents for the Dominion of Canada followed from 1876. Until 1908 they were struck in England. Coins made at the Heaton mint in Birmingham carry a small H.

Victoria's portrait gave way to Edward VII in 1902 and George V in 1911. The 1911 coins left off the Latin phrase meaning by the grace of God, which caused a public fuss. It was restored for 1912. In 1920 the large cent was replaced partway through the year, so 1920 exists in both sizes.

Every Canadian cent, 1858 to 2012

Where two varieties share one figure, the mintage covers both.

Small cents and the maple twig

The small cent of 1920 carried a simple design of two maple leaves. In 1937, for George VI, George Kruger Gray's maple twig took over and stayed on the cent until the end. Elizabeth II appeared in 1953.

The shape changed once: from 1982 to 1996 the cent was 12-sided. It went back to round in 1997.

Portraits on the cent

The portrait is a quick way to place a worn cent. Victoria appears on the cents of 1858 to 1901, Edward VII from 1902 to 1910 and George V from 1911 to 1936. George VI follows from 1937 to 1952.

Elizabeth II's cents start with Mary Gillick's laureate portrait in 1953, switch to Arnold Machin's in 1965 and to Dora de Pédery-Hunt's crowned portrait in 1990, then end with Susanna Blunt's uncrowned portrait from 2003 to 2012.

Metal and weight changes

Cents were bronze for most of their history, with the mix of copper, tin and zinc shifting slightly over time. The weight fell from 2.8 g in 1980 and 1981 to 2.5 g for the 12-sided years. From 1997 the cent became copper-plated zinc at 2.25 g. From 2002 copper-plated steel at 2.35 g was struck alongside it.

• 1858 to 1859: bronze, round
• 1876 to 1941: bronze with 95.5% copper
• 1942 to 1996: 98% copper alloy, 12-sided from 1982
• 1997 to 2012: copper-plated zinc
• 2002 to 2012: copper-plated steel, magnetic

Reading mint marks and varieties

Three marks matter on Canadian cents, plus a magnet test for the last years.

• H: struck at the Heaton mint in Birmingham, found on certain dates from 1876 to 1907
• P: a small P on the portrait side of some 2000s cents means plated steel
• Mint logo: replaced the P in 2006, so 2006 exists with P, with the logo and with neither
• Magnetic or not: 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012 come in both steel and zinc; a magnet sorts them
• Portrait varieties: 2003 has both the crowned Queen and Susanna Blunt's uncrowned portrait
• Die varieties: the 1947 maple leaf, the 1953 and 1955 shoulder fold and the 1965 large and small beads

Which cents are common

From 1940 onward mintages climb into the tens and then hundreds of millions. The 1981 round cent passed a billion. Unless yours is one of the varieties above in sharp condition, a modern cent is face value. The interesting territory is the large cents and the small cents of the early 1920s.

Frequently asked questions