1850
- August 10
- An Act to amend the 1841 Currency Act receives royal assent, with the signature of Lord Elgin, Governor General of Canada. The Act sets the value of the American dollar in Canada at 5 shillings. The Act also gives Canada's Governor General the power to have silver coins struck for circulation in Canada, in denominations of 5 shillings, 2 shillings 6 pence, 2 shillings, 1 shilling 3 pence, 1 shilling, 6 pence, and 3 pence. These values correspond directly to American currency values of $1, 50c, 40c, 25c, 20c, 10c, and 5c. Gold coins are also provided for, in values of 10 shillings, 12 shillings 6 pence, 1 pound, and 1 pound 5 shillings. The Act is set to become law on January 1, 1851. [176.90] [306.133] [378.182] [571.26]
1853
- June 14
- The Currency Act, 1853, receives royal assent, allowing coins in denominations of dollars and cents to be struck for Canada, as well as shillings and pence. [16.19] [39.1] [176.92] [276.187] [277.109] [306.140]
1857
- August 18
- Thomas Graham, Master of the Royal Mint announces a forthcoming issue of 15,000 pounds sterling worth each of 5c and 10c pieces, and 2,000 pounds sterling of 20c pieces. [176.93] [306.143] [571.26]
- October 16
- The British Treasury approves the Master of the Mint's proposal for determining the weight of the new 20c piece for Canada. The coin will be 71.73 grains of 0.925 fine silver, equal to 5.066 grains of British standard gold. [294.117] [361.285] [662.50]
1858
- July 1
- The first coins for the Province of Canada are minted in England, in denominations of 1c, 5c, 10c, and 20c. The obverse design of the 1 cent piece was originally intended for use on English coinage, but was rejected, due to its similarity to the bronze coinage of Emperor Napoleon III of France. [1] [662.50] [887.10]
- July 17
- Designs of Leonard Charles Wyon are approved by Queen Victoria, for coins of the Province of Canada: 1c, 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces. [35.8] [294.117] [361.285] [380.191]
- (month unknown)
- Inspector-General A.T. Galt requests of the British Treasury that the order for new Canadian coinage be increased from 50,000 pounds sterling to 70,000. A new request is made for 20,000 pounds sterling of copper for 10 million 1-cent coins. [295.200] [306.143] (1857 [46])
- The Royal Mint begins striking 1c coins for Canada. [295.200]
- August
- The first shipment of Canadian decimal coins is received in Canada from the Royal Mint. It consists of $100,000 in 20c pieces, $75,000 in 10c pieces, $75,000 in 5c pieces, and $50,000 in 1c pieces. [286.250] [306.143] [397.15]
- December 10
- "Letters Patent" makes legal tender the silver 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces, and copper cent. [16.19] [39.1] [276.188] [277.110] [294.117] [350.91]
- December 12
- The decimal coins of Canada are released. Of the order for 10 million 1-cent coins, only 421,000 cents are ready. [35.8] [380.191] [662.50] (September [1])
1860
-
- The government decides to replace the 20c piece with a 25c coin. [661.51]
1861
-
- The government of the Province of Canada sends part of its stock of 1-cent coins to the New Brunswick for temporary use there while that colony awaited the arrival of its own coinage from England. [661.48]
1867
- July
- The Dominion of Canada inherits a stock of several million 1c pieces from the Province of Canada, which it proceeds to issue as Dominion currency. [661.48]
1870
-
- The first silver 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent pieces of the Dominion of Canada are issued. The general sizes and designs are the same as the issues for the Province of Canada, but the Queen's head has a crown instead of a laurel wreath. [661.66]
- September 9
- The Finance Minister circulates a notice authorizing legally struck copper half penny tokens, and sous as cents, and one penny tokens as two cents, effective October 1. The withdrawal of the 20c piece is also initiated. [35.8] [295.199] [350.91] [361.285]
- October 1
- Government offices officially begin accepting copper bank tokens for use as decimal coins. Half penny tokens are worth one cent, and one penny tokens are worth two cents. [172.51]
1871
- April 14
- The Uniform Currency Act receives royal assent. The Act sets denominations of currency in Canada as dollars, cents, and mills. The value of a British gold sovereign is set at $5. Silver and copper coins of other countries are no longer legal tender. Foreign gold coins may be allowed, specifically the US $10 gold (Eagle) minted after 1834, with a value set at $10. The Act is set to take effect as of July 1, 1871. [79.21] [85] [276.198] [277.110]
- December 18
- The Ralph Heaton & Sons mint strikes silver coins for the first time. 1000 50c pieces for Canada are made under special supervision of personnel from the Royal Mint. (The inability of the Royal Mint to completely satisfy the coinage needs of Canada is later used in arguments for a minting facility within Canada.) [350.35] [652.20] [693.6]
1876
- December 9
- An Order in Council sets the 1c piece legal tender to the amount of 25c in any one payment. [93]
- (month unknown)
- The first one cent coins of the Dominion of Canada are issued. The design of the Queen on the obverse was changed from previous issues, showing the Queen wearing a crown, instead of a laurel wreath. [661.52] [521.8]
1881
- April
- The government returns $18,000 worth of 20c pieces to the mint in England, to be melted and recoined as other pieces. [350.36]
1885
-
- The government returns $50,000 worth of 20c pieces to England, to be melted. [350.37]
1888
-
- The government returns $17,174 worth of 20c pieces to England, to be melted. [350.37]
1889
-
- The government returns $16,585 worth of 20c pieces to the Royal Mint, to be melted and recoined as 25c pieces. [337.25] [350.37]
1892
-
- The entire year's mintage of 50c pieces is shipped to British Columbia and released into circulation. [350.112]
1894
-
- The government returns $14,518 worth of 20c pieces to England, to be melted. [350.37]
1899
-
- The government returns $18,895 worth of obsolete silver coins including 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces, to be melted. [350.38]
1906
-
- The government returns to the Royal Mint $7,461 worth of obsolete silver coins including 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces, to be melted. [350.38]
1908
- January 2
- Governor General Earl Grey formally opens the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. He strikes the first coin minted in Canada, a 50-cent piece. Countess of Grey strikes the first bronze cent. 1000 specimen sets are struck to mark the occasion. First chief engraver of the Mint is H.S. Low. [1] [12] [661.xxix] [69.44] [85] [169.530] [171.73] [246.60] [257] [280.12,31] [334.117] [336.38] [350.38] [358.291] [364.395,424] [375.5] [401.29] [420.7] [437.119] [518.4] [592.4] [604.31] [683.22] [686.13] [693.6] [733.1] [818.6] [902.24]
- January 4
- An Order in Council passes, giving authority to mint $280,000 in silver coins, and $20,000 bronze cents. [172.75]
- February 19
- General striking of silver coins begins at the Ottawa branch mint. [172.75] [350.38]
- December
- The first gold sovereigns are minted in Canada. [1]
1910
- May
- The Government of Canada drafts an amendment to the Dominion of Canada Currency Act, authorizing the coining of a silver dollar, at 360 grains, with 0.925 fineness. The amendment rounds all silver coins to multiples of 18 grains. It also enables the government to produce gold coins in the denominations of $2.50, $5, $10, and $20. [2] [36.6] [85]
1912
- May
- The first $5 and $10 Canadian gold pieces are minted. [1] [85] [390.131]
1919
- March 27
- The Finance Minister announces that the 1c coin will be reduced in size, closer to the size of the US 1c coin. [34.8] [84.17] [172.118] [343.34]
- (month unknown)
- The composition of the 1c coin is changed, to 0.955 copper, 0.030 tin, and 0.015 zinc. [661.56] [350.39]
- June 6
- Assent is given to an Act to amend the Currency Act, 1910, setting the weight of the 1c coin at 50 grains. [99] [391.152]
- November
- The Finance Department selects the design for the new small 1c coin. The design by Frederick Lewis is used for the reverse. [84.17] [172.118] [380.148] [400.16] [401.29]
- November 22
- The Minister of Finance reports that due to the increased price of silver, to continue with 0.925 fine silver coinage would mean a loss of 4.7c per ounce, and coins in circulation would likely be melted. [125.1]
- November 25
- The Governor General in Council authorizes fineness of 0.800 for circulating silver coins, effective January 1, 1920. [125.1] [172.119]
1920
- January 1
- The revised standard fineness for silver coins at 0.800 becomes effective. [391.133]
- March 16
- The Currency Act is amended changing the standard for gold coins to 0.900 fine, and silver coins to 0.800 fine. [85] [125.1] (1919 [54])
- April 15
- The new small cent coin is officially released. [84.20] [172.118] (first struck May 18 [344.55]) (put into circulation May 21 [391.133])
- May 11
- A proclamation describes the design of the new 1c coin, with a 0.75 inch diameter, and weighing 50 grains. The changes are to be effective May 15. [164] [391.154]
- Assent is given to an Act to amend the Currency Act, 1910, changing the fineness of gold coins to 0.900, and silver coins to 0.800. [391.152]
- (month unknown)
- 51,494 0.925 fine 25c pieces and 144,200 0.925 fine 50c pieces are melted at the mint, to be recoined as 0.800 fine silver coins. [661.104,122]
- The mint begins planning the replacement of the silver 5c coin with a nickel coin. [661.72]
1921
-
- 2.5 million silver 5 cent coins dated 1921 are minted before it is decided to switch to a pure nickel coin. [661.72] [663.38]
- May 3
- Legislation passes amending the Currency Act, authorizing a nickel 5c coin, legal tender in amounts up to $5. [661.72] [34.14] [85] [155.4] [162.20] [295.204] [673.15] (February 14 [1])
- May 11
- Assent is given to an Act to amend the Currency Act, 1910, adding the nickel 5c coin weighing 70 grains, valid up to $5 per transaction. [391.153] [416.18]
- May
- Finance Minister Sir Henry Drayton chooses the design for the nickel 5c coin. The design created by W.H.J. Blakemore is used for the reverse. [172.120] [380.148] [391.139]
- December 17
- A proclamation describes the design of the new nickel 5c coin. The changes are to be effective January 2. [391.156]
1922
- January 3
- The Governor General Julian Byng strikes the first two nickel 5c coins of Canada, at the mint in Ottawa. He and Lady Byng are presented with these two nickels in plush cases. [155.4] [296] [391.139] [400.16] [406.23] [416.18] [800.1] (struck by nieces of the Governor General [169.604])
- (month unknown)
- 3,022,665 5c silver coins on hand at the mint are melted down. The estimated 400 surviving 1921-dated copies were obtained in mint sets or by visitors to the Mint. [661.72]
1927
- May
- The Mint sends out contest rules for artists to create 60th anniversary commemorative designs for Canada's circulating coinage (1-cent through 25-cent). Submission deadline is mid-June. An award of $500 is offered for each accepted design. [122.1] [172.125] [684.6]
1929
-
- The Deputy Master of the Ottawa Mint decides to melt all silver coins on hand, to be reminted with the current date. 480,392 50c pieces, dated 1920 and 1921, are melted. [661.123] [172.124]
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