1947 Canadian Penny
The 1947 Canadian Penny is a one-cent coin struck for circulation with 31.1 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1947
- Circulation mintage
- 31,093,901
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- Bronze (98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc)
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1947 Canadian Penny worth?
With 31.1 million made, the 1947 Canadian Penny is common. A circulated one is worth face value. The cent is still legal tender even though the Mint stopped issuing it in 2013. Only coins with full original red color, a recognized variety or a genuine error interest collectors.
What would make yours worth more:
- Original red color rather than brown
- Sharp detail in the portrait and leaves
- 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 1947 Canadian Penny rare?
- No. 31.1 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 1947 Canadian pennies were made?
- 31,093,901 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1947 Canadian Penny made of?
- Bronze (98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc). It weighs 3.24 g and measures 19.05 mm.
- Is the 1947 Canadian Penny still legal tender?
- Yes. The Royal Canadian Mint stopped distributing cents in 2013, but they remain legal tender. Cash payments are rounded to the nearest five cents, so most pennies now sit in jars or go to banks.
The 1947 penny in context
India became independent in August 1947 and with that the king's old title of Emperor of India no longer applied. The words ET IND:IMP: would have to come off Canadian coins, but cents dated 1947 without a maple leaf were struck during 1947 itself, still carrying the old legend. A total of 31,093,901 were made, well below the wartime totals but still a large run.
The plain 1947 is mostly known as the partner of the 1947 maple leaf variety, which was struck the following year using the same date. The plain coin is the normal version, while the pointed 7 and blunt 7 date styles that specialists sort for belong to the maple leaf coins. Both are covered by the same published mintage. For most people the plain 1947 is a common cent, but checking for a leaf after the date is always worthwhile, since that tells you which of the two versions you have. The plain coin is also the last cent struck with ET IND:IMP: in the year shown on it.
How to recognize it
Thomas Humphrey Paget's bare-headed George VI is on the obverse with GEORGIVS VI D:G: REX ET IND:IMP: around it. The reverse shows George Kruger Gray's maple twig with two leaves, CANADA, 1 CENT and the date 1947. The 1947 cent is 19.05 mm wide and weighs 3.24 g. Look just after the date: on the plain 1947 there is nothing there, while the maple leaf variety has a small raised leaf. The pointed and blunt 7 styles that specialists sort for belong to the maple leaf coins, not this one. A magnifier makes the leaf check quick, even on a fairly worn coin.
1947 Canadian Penny by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 1947 Canadian Penny ranks 67th lowest of 151 Canadian cent dates and varieties from 1858 to 2012. The next scarcer is the 2005 P Canadian Penny (30.5 million); the next more common is the 1949 Canadian Penny (33.1 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1981 Round Canadian Penny with 1.21 billion, about 39 times as many. The scarcest is the 1858 Canadian Penny with 421,000, 74 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1947 output was 1.8 times fewer than 1946 and 1.2 times the 1948 figure. Other 1947 cents: 1947 Maple Leaf Canadian Penny (47.9 million).
Over the 1940s the Mint produced 623.2 million cents across 11 dates and varieties; the 1947 Canadian Penny accounts for 5.0% of that.
What to check on your 1947 Canadian Penny
- Check the color. Collectors describe copper cents as red, red-brown or brown; original red color is worth far more than toned or dull surfaces.
- Never clean it. Rubbing, polishing or dipping leaves fine scratches and an unnatural color that collectors spot at once.
With over 31 million struck, the plain 1947 is common and worn coins are close to face value. Uncirculated red coins draw a small premium and make a good partner for a maple leaf example. The 1947 is a natural companion to the maple leaf coin and many collectors keep the two side by side to show the story of the legend change. For a set, look for a coin with sharp leaf veins and an original surface; those are easy enough to find that there is no reason to settle for a cleaned or spotted piece.
George VI cents and the maple twig, 1937 to 1952
Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936 before any Canadian coins bearing his portrait were issued, so the next new portrait belonged to George VI. His cents, first dated 1937, paired a bare-headed effigy by Thomas Humphrey Paget with an all new reverse by George Kruger Gray: a maple twig with two leaves, along with CANADA, 1 CENT and the date. That twig went on to serve for seventy five years, staying on the cent until 2012 apart from the centennial year. The early legend reads GEORGIVS VI D:G: REX ET IND:IMP:.
The Second World War sent demand soaring. Mintages went from about 21.6 million in 1939 to almost 86 million in 1940 and 1943 reached about 89 million. Tin was needed for the war effort, so from 1942 the alloy dropped to 0.5% tin with 98% copper and 1.5% zinc. After India gained independence in 1947, the words ET IND:IMP: had to go. New dies were not ready, so in 1948 the mint kept striking coins with the 1947 date and added a small maple leaf after it. Cents dated 1948 onward read GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX.
Most cents from these years are common, a natural result of the wartime totals. What matters is the detail. Check 1947 coins for the leaf after the date and read the legend to tell early and late portraits apart. George VI died in February 1952, but cents dated 1952 still carry his portrait. Wear shows on the king's hair above the ear and on the veins of the two leaves. Red coins from bank rolls exist for many of these dates and collectors prefer them to the usual brown.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 cent |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1947 |
| Circulation mintage | 31,093,901 |
| Composition | Bronze (98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc) |
| Weight | 3.24 g |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Other 1947 Canadian pennies
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 Maple Leaf Canadian Penny | 47,855,448 | Face value |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 1947 and a 1947 maple leaf cent?
The maple leaf version has a small leaf after the date and was struck in 1948 using 1947 dies. The plain 1947 has no leaf and was struck during 1947. Both carry the ET IND:IMP: legend.
Is the 1947 Canadian cent rare?
The plain 1947 is common, with over 31 million struck and worn coins are close to face value. Only uncirculated coins with original red color draw a premium, along with the maple leaf version.
Mintage figures: Penny (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.