Classic Canadian Coins: Dollar Coins Quiz

Answer: George V

If you are familiar with the British monarchy, you may have known that George V (1910-1936) was the only one of these monarchs to celebrate a Silver Jubilee (in 1935). Edward VII (1901-1910), Edward VIII (1936), and George VI (1936-1952) all had reigns under 25 years.

The obverse (or front) of the coin shows a crowned George V looking to the left. The inscription surround the head is in Latin and translated reads "George V, King Emperor, in the 2tth year of his reign". On the reverse (or back) of the coin the word Canada is above the central image. Below the image is 1935 and Dollar. The image is a voyageur (fur trader) and a member of the First Nations paddling a canoe.

The reverse image was popular enough that it was used on the dollar coins in many of the next 50-odd years. In those other years, though, it is not considered a commemorative image.

Answer: United States

A comparison of the coinage systems of Canada and the United States is fascinating as there are many parallels between the two. A Peace Dollar of 1935 is made from 90% silver and 10% copper. It contains 0.77 ounces of silver. A Voyageur Dollar of 1935 is made from 80% silver and 20% copper. It contains six-tenths of an ounce of silver. The peace dollar also has a larger diameter (38.2 millimeters v. 36.1 millimeters).

Canadian dollar coins were issued in 80% silver from 1935 to 1967. Previously, Canadian silver coins were 92.5% silver from 1870 to 1920.

Answer: Houses of Parliament

The 1939 dollar with the Houses of Parliament on the rear was minted in greater numbers than the collective total of the 1935-1938 Canadian dollars. This provided enough coins for commercial needs that Canadian dollars were not minted from the years 1940 to 1944.

The visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to both Canada and the United States took place over May and June 1939 (on the eve of World War Two). George VI had previously visited Canada before he had become king. The King visited the Houses of Parliament and personally gave royal assent to several bills passed by the Canadian legislature.

Canada's Parliament was established in 1867 at the time the Dominion of Canada was formed. The Western Department Building (first built in 1865) is where the Parliament meets. The building's architectural style is Victorian High Gothic.

Answer: India had left the British Empire

Why would India leaving the empire impact Canadian coins? Canadian coins, like British coins, mentioned that King George was also the emperor of India. When India gained independence, the inscription on the coins needed to change. The maple leaf was a stop gap used until new coin dies could be prepared without a reference to the Emperor.

The 1947 dollars also featured varieties with a pointed "7" in the date as well as a blunter "7".

Answer: Newfoundland

In 2001, Newfoundland formally changed its name to Newfoundland and Labrador. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Newfoundland (then a British colony) issued its own distinct run of circulating coinage with values from one cent to two dollars.

The reverse of the 1949 dollar shows an image of the "Matthew", the ship which John Cabot and trew sailed on from Bristol, England to Newfoundland in 1497.

Answer: Charlottetown, and Quebec

The two 1864 conferences were located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, Quebec. These conferences helped to iron out the details that would lead to the beginning of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Ironically, although Charlottetown was one of the two locations, Prince Edward Island would not join the dominion until 1873. The original four provinces were New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.

The coin has a fairly simple reverse with the words Canada and Dollar near the edge. The wods Charlottetown and Quebec circle a fairly simple design.

Answer: Goose

The denominations with the reverses are as follows: dollar--goose, fifty cents--wolf, twenty five cents--wildcat, ten cents--mackerel, five cents--rabbit, one cent--rock dove. Alex Colville designed the series of reverses. 1967 represented the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada.

On some coins, the way the goose was minted onto the reverse makes the goose appear to be descending at a sharp angle. The more common orientation has the goose flying in a fairly level way.

Answer: Nickel

The dollar coin would have a nearly 100% nickel composition from 1968 to 1986. The coin would shrink from 36.1 millimeters to 32.1 millimeters as there was no longer an attempt to have the intrinsic value of the coin match its monetary value. Canada is one of the largest producers of nickel in the world.

An advantage or disadvantage of using nickel in coins is that it is a tougher metal than many other coinage metals. The quality that makes nickel coins more resistant to wear also makes the dies that are used to mint them wear out more quickly.

Answer: Alberta

The three coins were minted for the 100th anniversary of each province: Manitoba (1870), British Columbia (1871), and Prince Edward Island (1873). Alberta did not celebrate its 100th anniversary until 2005.

The Manitoba coin shows a prairie crocus on the reverse. The British Columbia coins shows the provincial coat of arms which include a wapiti stag and a bighorn sheep ram. The Prince Edward island coin shows the provincial legislative building. All three coins use the 1965 Arnold Machine portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.

Answer: Jacques Cartier

On the reverse, the coin shows the landing of Jacques Cartier and his crew on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, which had occurred in 1534 (450 years previously). Over six million of the coins were issued. Within three years, Canada would switch from a dollar coin made out of nickel to the well known "Loonie" dollar.

frenchman Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe the area around the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River. He would also first use the name "Canada" to describe the country.