1937 Canadian Quarter
The 1937 Canadian Quarter is a Canadian quarter struck for circulation with 2.69 million made. Value band: metal value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1937
- Circulation mintage
- 2,689,813
- Value band
- Metal value
- 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 1937 Canadian Quarter worth?
The 1937 Canadian Quarter is a silver coin with 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver, so its floor is its metal value: 0.15 times the day's silver spot price. With 2.69 million made, worn examples trade for about their silver; collectors pay more for sharp, original coins and much more for uncirculated ones with full luster.
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 1937 Canadian Quarter rare?
- Not by mintage. 2.69 million were made, but it is silver, so even worn examples are worth their metal value rather than face value.
- How many 1937 Canadian quarters were made?
- 2,689,813 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1937 Canadian Quarter made of?
- 80% silver, 20% copper. It weighs 5.83 g and measures 23.62 mm.
- Is the 1937 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 1937 quarter in context
The 1937 quarter introduced the caribou, the design that has stayed on Canada's regular quarter ever since. For George VI's coinage the government chose reverses with Canadian subjects in place of the old crowns and wreaths. Sculptor Emanuel Hahn created the quarter's woodland caribou, while his schooner went on the ten cent piece. The mint struck 2,689,813 quarters dated 1937, the first of the new reign. It was the first time an animal had appeared on a Canadian quarter.
The obverse changed too. Thomas Humphrey Paget's bare-headed portrait of the king replaced the crowned and robed style of earlier reigns. The coin stayed at 80 percent silver, 5.83 g and 23.62 mm. After the George V era, when several years produced under half a million, the 1937 run was large and output grew steadily in the years that followed. Its main appeal is as the first year of a design that has lasted for generations, the one most Canadians picture when they think of a quarter. That output would only grow in the war years ahead.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows the head and shoulders of a woodland caribou, its antlers sweeping up across the field, with CANADA, 25 CENTS and the date 1937 around it. Hahn's initial H appears on the reverse as his signature. The obverse has Paget's uncrowned portrait of George VI facing left inside GEORGIVS VI D:G: REX ET IND: IMP:. Sharp antler tips and clear fur on the neck are the signs of a well preserved coin. The coin holds about 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver and, like all silver quarters, will not stick to a magnet. Weight and size are unchanged from the George V coins.
1937 Canadian Quarter by the numbers
In mintage terms the 1937 Canadian Quarter ranks 56th lowest of 147 Canadian quarter dates and varieties from 1870 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1948 Canadian Quarter (2.56 million); the next more common is the 1929 Canadian Quarter (2.69 million).
For scale, the most common is the 2000 Canadian Quarter with 434.1 million, about 161 times as many. The scarcest is the 1889 Canadian Quarter with 66,324, 41 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1937 output was 18 times the 1936 figure and 1.2 times fewer than 1938.
Over the 1930s the Mint produced 13.9 million quarters across 11 dates and varieties; the 1937 Canadian Quarter accounts for 19% of that.
What to check on your 1937 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.
At 2,689,813, the 1937 is not scarce, but it is popular as a first year coin. Worn examples carry a small premium over their silver. Bright uncirculated pieces with full antler detail draw more interest. If you are starting a caribou collection, this is the obvious first coin. Check the antlers and the king's hair above the ear, the first places to show wear. Look for natural toning rather than polish and a clean field around the caribou's head. Worn ones are common.
George VI caribou quarters, 1937 to 1952
The coins of 1937 changed the look of Canadian money. Instead of crowns and wreaths, the new reverses showed Canadian subjects and the quarter got a woodland caribou's head by the sculptor Emanuel Hahn. The obverse carries Thomas Humphrey Paget's bare-headed portrait of George VI with the legend GEORGIVS VI D:G: REX ET IND: IMP:. The coin stayed at 80 percent silver, 5.83 g and 23.62 mm, with about 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver. The caribou has been the regular quarter's reverse ever since.
The Second World War brought record demand, with 13,559,575 quarters dated 1943. India's independence in 1947 then forced a change to the legend, because the king was no longer Emperor of India. New dies without ET IND: IMP: were not ready at the start of 1948, so the mint kept striking 1947 dated coins and marked them with a small maple leaf after the date. Quarters with the new legend, GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX, are dated 1948 to 1952.
The dates to look for in this group are 1946, 1947 and 1948, which all have mintages between about 1.5 and 2.6 million. Add the 1947 maple leaf, the best known variety of the reign. Compare the legend with the date: a quarter showing ET IND: IMP: should be dated 1947 or earlier. George VI died in February 1952, but quarters dated 1952 still carry his portrait. Wear shows on the king's hair above the ear and on the caribou's nose and the fur of its neck.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 25 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1937 |
| Circulation mintage | 2,689,813 |
| Composition | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| Weight | 5.83 g |
| Diameter | 23.62 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the caribou on the Canadian quarter?
Emanuel Hahn, a Canadian sculptor. His woodland caribou first appeared on quarters dated 1937 and remains the standard design today, with only commemorative issues breaking the run. Hahn also designed the schooner on the ten cent piece.
Is the 1937 Canadian quarter silver?
Yes. It is 80 percent silver, weighing 5.83 g, with about 0.15 troy ounces of pure silver. It will not stick to a magnet, unlike the nickel and plated steel quarters made from 1968 on.
Mintage figures: Quarter (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.