1936 Canadian Quarter
The 1936 Canadian Quarter is a Canadian quarter struck for circulation with 972,094 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1936
- Circulation mintage
- 972,094
- 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 1936 Canadian Quarter worth?
At 972,094, the 1936 Canadian Quarter has a smaller run than most Canadian quarters, 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 1936 Canadian Quarter rare?
- It is scarcer than most Canadian quarters. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 1936 Canadian quarters were made?
- 972,094 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1936 Canadian Quarter made of?
- 80% silver, 20% copper. It weighs 5.83 g and measures 23.62 mm.
- Is the 1936 Canadian Quarter still legal tender?
- Yes. Every Canadian quarter is legal tender at 25 cents, but a silver one is worth more for its metal than its face value.
The 1936 quarter in context
George V died on 20 January 1936 and the 1936 quarters, 972,094 of them, are the last struck with his portrait in the normal way. His son became Edward VIII, but Edward abdicated in December 1936 before any Canadian coins bearing his likeness were made. George VI succeeded him and work began on a completely new set of Canadian designs for 1937.
The regular 1936 is a relatively common date for the reign, much more available than the lean years of 1931 to 1935. Its importance comes from what followed. With the new George VI dies not ready early in 1937, the mint used 1936 dies with a small dot added below the date to keep up with demand, creating the 1936 dot variety. So when you hold a 1936 quarter, the first job is to look under the date. It was also the final year of the maple wreath reverse that had been on Canadian quarters since 1870, since the caribou replaced it in 1937. That makes the plain 1936 an ending and a beginning at once.
How to recognize it
Mackennal's crowned and robed George V appears on the obverse, framed by GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. The reverse carries 25 CENTS, CANADA and 1936 inside the maple wreath under a crown. On a regular 1936 there is nothing below the date. Check that area under a magnifier with good light, since a raised dot means a far scarcer coin. Be wary of a dot that looks scratched, pushed in or stuck on; a genuine dot is raised and smooth like the rest of the design. Struck in 80 percent silver, it weighs 5.83 g, measures 23.62 mm and contains about 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver.
1936 Canadian Quarter by the numbers
By the numbers, the 1936 Canadian Quarter ranks 37th lowest of 147 Canadian quarter dates and varieties from 1870 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1930 Canadian Quarter (968,748); the next more common is the 1875 H Canadian Quarter (1 million).
For scale, the most common is the 2000 Canadian Quarter with 434.1 million, about 447 times as many. The scarcest is the 1889 Canadian Quarter with 66,324, 15 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1936 output was 1.8 times the 1935 figure and 2.8 times fewer than 1937. Other 1936 quarters: 1936 Dot Canadian Quarter (153,322).
Over the 1930s the Mint produced 13.9 million quarters across 11 dates and varieties; the 1936 Canadian Quarter accounts for 7.0% of that.
What to check on your 1936 Canadian Quarter
- Check the date first: silver Canadian quarters carry dates from 1870 to 1968; this one has 0.15 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 quarters.
The plain 1936 is common enough in worn condition and carries a small premium over its silver. Uncirculated pieces with full luster are more desirable and make a fine end to a George V collection. Before you set it aside as ordinary, examine the area under the date for the dot. Most coins will be plain, but the check takes seconds and the dot coin is far scarcer. Keep it with your other George V silver, since it closes the set.
George V 80% silver quarters, 1920 to 1936
Silver prices jumped after the First World War and in 1920 Canada lowered the fineness of its silver coins from sterling to 80 percent. The quarter was set at 5.83 g and 23.62 mm, which leaves about 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver in each one. Nothing on the coin announces the change. Mackennal's portrait of George V and the maple wreath reverse carried on as before, so a 1919 and a 1920 look alike and only the date tells you which alloy you have.
Demand then fell away. After 597,337 coins dated 1921, no quarters were struck at all for 1922 to 1926, since banks still held plenty from the big wartime runs. Production restarted in 1927 with a modest 468,096. On 1 December 1931 the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint became the Royal Canadian Mint, though the quarters look no different. Through the Depression years mintages stayed small, at 421,282 for 1933 and 384,350 for 1934, the lowest regular date of this group.
George V died in January 1936. Edward VIII never had Canadian coins struck in his name and George VI's dies were not ready in time, so in 1937 the mint struck more coins from 1936 dies with a small dot added below the date. That 1936 dot quarter, the 1921, the 1927 and the 1934 are the dates collectors hunt for here. Every coin from these years is silver, so even a worn one is worth more than face value for its metal alone.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 25 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1936 |
| Circulation mintage | 972,094 |
| Composition | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| Weight | 5.83 g |
| Diameter | 23.62 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Other 1936 Canadian quarters
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 Dot Canadian Quarter | 153,322 | Significant rarity |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1936 Canadian quarter the last with George V?
Yes. It is the final regular George V quarter. Some coins were struck in 1937 from 1936 dies with a dot below the date, but they still carry the 1936 date and George V's portrait.
Why are there no Edward VIII Canadian quarters?
Edward VIII reigned for less than a year before abdicating in December 1936. His Canadian coins never went into production, so the next new quarters, dated 1937, went straight to George VI.
Mintage figures: Quarter (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.