Reverse of the Coin (Canada) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Two maple leaves

When the one cent coin was introduced in 1858 in the Province of Canada it was about one inch in diameter. A line of maple leaves encircled the words "one cent" and the date on the reverse. In 1920, the size of the one cent coin was reduced significantly and the number of maple leaves reduced to two--one on each side of the words "one cent".

In 1937, the design changed again with one leaf situated in front on the other leaf. Minting of the coin ceased in 2012 though they remain legal tender.

Answer: Beaver

The five cent coin began in Canada in 1858 as a small silver. In 1922, the silver coin was replaced by a larger nickel coin with a pair of maple leaves on the reverse, one to each side. In 1937, the leaves were replaced by a beaver sitting on a rock. George Kruger Gray designed the reverse. Over the years, the composition of the five cent coin has changed several more times.

Answer: V and a torch

The V and torch was a special design used during World War II. There were two different compositions used for these "nickels" that, interestingly, had no nickel in them. The 1943 coins were made of tombac (88% copper and 12% zinc). The 1944 and 1945 coins were made from chrome plated steel.

The edge of the coin had the following message inscribed in Morse code: "We Win When We Work Willingly". In 2005, the Royal Canadian Mint commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War 2 with the V and torch design.

Answer: The schooner, "Bluenose"

The "Bluenose" was a schooner built in Nova Scotia in 1921. Originally built as a fishing and racing vessel, it later served as a working ship. Emmanuel Hahn create the image of the "Bluenose" that appeared on the reverse of the ten cent coin. Like several other Canadian coins of the time, the ten cent coins of 1937-1967 were made in 80% silver. Since then, several different compositions have been used for the coins. Previous to this, a wreath topped by a crown appeared on the reverse of ten cent coins.

Answer: Caribou

Emmanuel Hahn also designed the image of the caribou that usually appeared on Canadian twenty-five cent coins beginning in 1937. Appropriately, the caribou is found in the majority of Canadian provinces and territories. The twenty-five cent coin was one of the denominations used more frequently for commemorative images including the 100th Anniversary of Confederation, 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and 125th Anniversary of Confederation featuring reverses for each of the Canadian provinces and territories.

Answer: Canadian Coat of Arms

Thomas Shingles designed the image of the Canadian coat of arms that began appearing on fifty cent coins in 1959 (with the image updated in 1997). Previous to this, a crowned wreath appeared on the reverse of the fifty cent coin. The coin continues to be mint even though it has only seen limited circulation in the twenty-first century.

In 1908, the first coin minted in the city of Ottawa (capital of Canada) was a fifty cent coin.

Answer: Two men in a canoe

The first Voyageur dollar was struck to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reign of George V in 1935. The coins showed a Voyageur (French-Canadian trader) and Indigenous Canadian paddling a canoe. Until 1967, the dollar coins were made from silver. Beginning in 1968, the design was used on smaller coins made from nickel.

In some years, designs commemorating various events and anniversaries were used instead including Newfoundland joining the Confederation (1949), the Centennial of British Columbia (1971), and the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II (1977).

Answer: Common loon

Robert Ralph Carmichael designed the reverse with the common loon in water which appeared on a new smaller dollar coin made for for its first quarter century with nickel with bronze plating. A common nickname for the coin is a "loonie". The coin entered regular circulation in Canada in conjunction with a phased removal of the one dollar bill from circulation.

In several years, alternative reverse designs were used commemorating various events.

Answer: Polar Bear

This coin is considered bimetallic with an outer ring of nickel around an inner core of aluminum bronze. The coin features an image of a polar bear on an ice floe designed by Brent Townsend. The polar bear is found largely within the Arctic Circle (which includes a significant fraction of Canadian territory).

The Canadian two dollar bill was actually withdrawn from circulation a few days before the introduction of the two dollar coin, sometimes called a "toonie" (spelled multiple ways), based on the one dollar coin (loonie).

Answer: Old Canadian Coat of Arms and leaves

The five dollar and ten dollar coins of 1912-1914 represent the main issue of circulating gold coins from Canada (apart from the issues of British sovereigns in the early 20th century from Ottawa). Both coins include an image of the old Canadian coat of arms with leaves on either side on the reverse. The coins were made of 90% gold.