History of Silver in Canada
Canada struck its first home-made coin, a silver 50-cent piece, in Ottawa in 1908. Coins were 80% silver until 1966, 50% in 1967 and part of 1968, and nickel after that.
Facts checked 26 October 2026
Silver in Canada today
- In Canada, quality marks on precious metal jewellery are voluntary, but any quality mark must be accurate and come with a registered (or applied-for) Canadian trademark; sterling must contain at least 925 parts per 1,000 silver.
Timeline: silver in Canada
- 1858First Province of Canada coins
The Province of Canada issued the first official provincial coinage in British North America. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland followed in the 1860s.
- 1908First coin from the Ottawa Mint
2 January 1908. Governor General Earl Grey started the presses that struck Canada's first home-made coin, a silver 50-cent piece.
- 1911The silver dollar that never was
A 1910 law called for a Canadian silver dollar, but the new government cancelled it in 1911. Only three pattern coins exist, two in silver and one in lead.
- 1922Silver five-cent piece replaced
The tiny silver five-cent coin was replaced by a larger nickel coin.
- 1936Silver dollar finally struck
The master dies made for the 1911 dollar were kept until production of the 1936 silver dollar.
- 1967Silver cut to 50%
Rising silver prices led the Mint to cut the silver in Canadian coins from 80% to 50%.
- 1968Last silver coins
Coins switched to nickel in 1968, and Canada's last silver quarter was issued that year.
FAQ
When did Canada stop using silver in coins?
Rising silver prices led the Mint to cut silver from 80% to 50% in 1967, and coins switched to nickel in 1968, the year of Canada's last silver quarter.
What was the first coin struck in Canada?
A silver 50-cent piece, struck at the new Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint on 2 January 1908.
Sources (7)
- The 1911 silver dollar - Bank of Canada Museum
- 1908-2008 Annual Report 2008: Making History - Royal Canadian Mint
- The Dime and its Colourful History - Royal Canadian Mint
- The true value of money - Bank of Canada Museum
- Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Gold - USGS
- Guide to the Precious Metals Marking Act and Regulations - Competition Bureau Canada
- Money services businesses (MSBs) - FINTRAC
History compiled from the sources listed, which we opened and checked in October 2026. Dates follow those sources; where they differ, we say so or leave the detail out.
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@misc{corgano2026historyofsilverin, author = {{Corgano}}, title = {History of Silver in Canada}, howpublished = {\url{https://silverprice.corgano.com/silver-history/canada}}, year = {2026}, note = {Corgano Silver Price, accessed 2026-10-26}}