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Quarter (Canadian coin)

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Quarter
Canada
Value0.25 CAD
Mass4.4 g
Diameter23.88 mm
Thickness1.58 mm
Edgemilled
Composition94% steel,
3.8% Cu,
2.2% Ni plating
Years of minting2003–present
Catalog number-
Obverse
DesignQueen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
DesignerSusanna Blunt
Design date2003
Reverse
File:Cdn-quarter-reverse.jpg
DesignCaribou
DesignerEmmanuel Hahn
Design date1937

The quarter is a Canadian coin, valued at 25 cents or one-fourth of a Canadian dollar. It is a small, circular coin of silver colour. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official name for the coin is the 25-cent piece, but in practice the term quarter is nearly universal.

In Canadian French, the quarter is commonly called a trente sous (a "thirty cents"). This is because the sou originally referred to a monetary unit used in France (and also New France), whereas today in Canadian French it means a Canadian cent, and somewhere in history 120 sous of New France came to be worth the equivalent of what eventually became the Canadian dollar. The exact exchange-rate mechanism by which this came to be is the subject of various occasionally contradictory theories.[1][2] In Quebec, the term cents (pronounced SEN) is sometimes used in place of sous.

History of composition

Years Weight Diameter Composition
2000–present 4.5 g 23.88 mm 94.0% steel, 3.8% copper, 2.2% nickel plating
1968–1999 5.05 g 23.88 mm 99.9% nickel
1967–1968 5.05 g 23.88 mm 50% silver, 50% copper
1953–1967 5.83 g 23.88 mm 80% silver, 20% copper
1920–1952 5.83 g 23.62 mm 80% silver, 20% copper
1910–1919 5.83 g 23.62 mm 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
1908–1910 5.81 g 23.62 mm 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper

The coin was made slightly thinner in 1978.[3]

Commemorative reverses

The quarter has the most commonly altered reverse in Canada, and is the usual venue for commemorative issues.

Single commemorative designs

Image Year Theme Artist Mintage Notes
File:Canada 25 cents 1967.png 1967 Canada's Centennial Alex Colville 48,855,500 The reverse featured a lynx.
File:Canada 25 cents 1973.png 1973 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Paul Cedarberg 135,958,589 The reverse depiced a mounted RCMP officer
File:2002 Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee.jpg 2002 Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee n/a To commemorate the fifty-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the obverse was listed "1952–2002".
File:Canada 25 cents 2002 Canada Day.png 2002 Canada Day The reverse featured a large maple leaf.
File:Canada 25 cents 2004 Acadia.png 2004 Acadia (Ile Ste. Croix) R.R. Carmichael,
Stan Witten 		15,400,000 The reverse depicted a 17th century sailing ship, "La Bonne-Renommée"[4] and the dates 1604–2004.
File:2004 Poppy Quarter.jpg 2004 Remembrance Day Cosme Saffioti,
Stan Witten 		28,500,000 The reverse featured a colourized red poppy, the first coloured general circulation coin in the world. In early 2007, Some U.S. Army contractors travelling in Canada were suspicious of the unusual quarter, which led to the U.S. Defense Department releasing a warning about Canadian coins with radio frequency transmitters. [5]
File:Canada 25 cents 2005 Alberta centennial.png 2005 Alberta Centennial Michelle Williams 20,640,000
File:Canada 25 cents 2005 Saskatchewan centennial.png 2005 Saskatchewan Centennial Paulette Sapergia 19,290,000
File:Year of the vetran.gif 2005 Year of the Veteran Elaine Gobel 29,390,000
File:Canada-Quarter-Ribbon-Breast-Cancer.png 2006 Pink Ribbon Cosme Saffioti 29,798,000[6] The second colourized coin in general issue. The composition of the coloration was reworked from that of the poppy issue two years earlier; it is far more scratch-resistant on these coins.
File:Canada 25 cents 2006 Medal of Bravery.png 2006 Medal of Bravery RCM Engravers 20,040,000[7]

125th Anniversary of Confederation

In 1992, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Confederation, the Mint released twelve commemorative coins, one for each Canadian province and territory. These were the inspiration [citation needed] for the US 50 State Quarters program of 1999-2008.

Province Date of Release Artist Mintage
Alberta June 4, 1992 Mel Heath 12,133,000
British Columbia November 9, 1992 Carla Egan 14,001,000
Manitoba April 7, 1992 Muriel Hope 11,349,000
New Brunswick January 9, 1992 Ronald Lambert 2,174,000
Newfoundland and Labrador March 5, 1992 Christoper Newhook 11,405,000
Northwest Territories February 6, 1992 Beth McEachen 12,580,000
Nova Scotia September 9, 1992 Bruce Wood 13,600,000
Ontario August 6, 1992 Greg Salmela 14,263,000
Prince Edward Island July 7, 1992 Nigel Roe 13,001,000
Quebec October 1, 1992 Romualdas Bukauskas 13,607,000
Saskatchewan November 5, 1992 Brian Cobb 14,165,000
Yukon May 7, 1992 Libby Dulac 10,388,000

Millennium quarters

In April of 1998, the Mint announced the Millennium Coin Design Contest, a contest open to all Canadians to submit designs for twenty-four millennium quarters, one for each month of 1999 and 2000. The 1999 designs were meant to look back on Canada's past, while the 2000 designs looked to the future. While the 1999 coins were labeled with their month of issue, the 2000 coins were labeled with the relevant theme (see below).

Image Month Theme Artist Date of Issue Mintage
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Jan rev.JPG January 1999 A Country Unfolds Peter Ka-Kin Poon January 5, 1999 12,238,559
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Feb rev.JPG February 1999 Etched in Stone Lonnie Springer February 1, 1999 13,985,195
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Mar rev.JPG March 1999 The Log Drive Marjolaine Lavoie 15,157,061
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Apr rev.JPG April 1999 Our Northern Heritage Kenojuak Ashevak March 30, 1999 15,214,397
File:Canadian 25 cent coin May rev.JPG May 1999 The Voyageurs Sergiy Minenok May 3, 1999 14,906,187
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Jun rev.JPG June 1999 From Coast to Coast Gordon Ho June 2, 1999 19,821,722
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Jul rev.JPG July 1999 A Nation of People Maria H. Sarkany July 1, 1999 16,537,018
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Aug rev.JPG August 1999 The Pioneer Spirit Alzira Botelho August 3, 1999 17,621,561
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Sept rev.JPG September 1999 Canada Through a Child’s Eye Claudia Bertrand August 27, 1999 31,077,650
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Oct rev.JPG October 1999 A Tribute to First Nations Jason Edward Read October 4, 1999 31,964,487
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Nov rev.JPG November 1999 The Airplane Opens the North Brian R. Bacon 27,437,677
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Dec rev.JPG December 1999 This Is Canada J.L. Pierre Provencher 42,927,482
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Pride rev.JPG January 2000 Pride Donald F. Warkentin January 6, 2000 50,749,102
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Ingenuity rev.JPG February 2000 Ingenuity John Jaciw February 4, 2000 35,812,988
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Achievement rev.JPG March 2000 Achievement Daryl Ann Dorosz 35,135,154
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Health rev.JPG April 2000 Health Anny Wassef April 5, 2000 34,663,619
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Natural Legacy rev.JPG May 2000 Natural Legacy Randy Trantau 36,416,953
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Harmony rev.JPG June 2000 Harmony Haver Demirer June 1, 2000 34,604,075
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Celebration rev.JPG July 2000 Celebration Laura Paxton June 29, 2000 34,816,329
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Family rev.JPG August 2000 Family Wade Stephen Baker August 1, 2000 34,320,111
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Wisdom rev.JPG September 2000 Wisdom Cezar Şerbănescu September 6, 2000 33,993,016
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Creativity rev.JPG October 2000 Creativity Eric (Kong Tat) Hui October 4, 2000 35,102,206
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Freedom rev.JPG November 2000 Freedom Kathy Vinish November 1, 2000 33,251,352
File:Canadian 25 cent coin Community rev.JPG December 2000 Community Michelle Thibodeau December 4, 2000 34,378,898

Alberta and Saskatchewan Centennial

In 2005, to celebrate the centennials of the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, two commemorative quarters were issued. The public was given the opportunity to vote on the coin design through two toll-free phone numbers.

There were four candidate designs for the Alberta quarter: Big Sky Country, Alberta’s Natural Beauty, A Dynamic Century, and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. The winning design was Big Sky Country, by Michelle Grant, and depicted an oil derrick with cattle grazing at its base.[8] The coin had a mintage of 20,640,000.[9]

There were three candidate designs for the Saskatchewan quarter: The Western Meadowlark, Canada Geese over Wascana Lake, and The Round Dance Celebration. The winning design was Western Meadowlark, designed by Paulette Sapergia.[10]

2010 Vancouver Olympics

The Olympic coins have the inscription D.G. Regina (Latin for By the Grace of God, Queen) removed from the Queen's effigy, making the coins the first "godless circulating coins" since the 2001 International Year of the Volunteer 10 cent piece. On the 1911 issue of King George V, the inscription was accidentally left off.[11]

Image Date of Issue Sport Artist Mintage
File:2007 Curling.jpg February 23, 2007 Curling Glen Green 22,000,000
File:2007 Ice Hockey.jpg April 3, 2007 Ice Hockey Glen Green 22,000,000
July 11, 2007 Wheelchair curling Glen Green 22,000,000
September 12, 2007 Biathlon Glen Green 22,000,000
File:2007 Alpine Skiing.jpg October 24, 2007 Alpine Skiing N/A N/A
February 20, 2008 Snowboarding TBD TBD
April 16, 2008 Freestyle Skiing TBD TBD
September 10, 2008 Figure Skating TBD TBD
October 29, 2008 Bobsleigh TBD TBD
February 18, 2009 Speed Skating TBD TBD
April 15, 2009 Cross Country Skiing TBD TBD
June 17, 2009 Sledge hockey TBD TBD

First strikes

Year Theme Mintage Issue Price
2004 The Poppy 9,928 $19.95
2005 Alberta Centennial 8,936 $14.95
2005 1,807 $14.95
2005 Saskatchewan Centennial 6,926 $14.95
2005 Year of the Veteran 7,820 $14.95
2006 Medal of Bravery 5,000 $15.95
2006 New Mint Mark 5,000 $

29.95

2006 Pink Ribbon 20,000 $15.95

Olympic first strikes

Year Sport Artist Mintage Issue Price Release Date
2007 Curling Glen Green 10,000 $15.95 February 24
2007 Ice Hockey Glen Green 10,000 $15.95 April 4
2007 Paralympic Curling Glen Green 10,000 $15.95 July 11
2007 Biathlon Glen Green 10,000 $15.95 September 12
2007 Alpine Skiing N/A 10,000 $15.95 October 24



Canada Day

Since 2000, the RCM has been issuing colourized quarters on Canada Day with designs aimed to attract young collectors. As with other collector coins issued by the RCM, the Canada Day series coins are non-circulating legal tender.

Year Theme Artist Mintage Issue Price Special Notes
2000 Millennium Coloured Coin "Canada Day" Laura Paxton 26,106 $8.95 1st Canada Day Coin
2001 Canada Day Coloured Coin Silke Ware 96,352 $9.95 N/A
2002 Canada Day Coloured Coin Judith Chartier 49,901 $9.95 Version w/o colour was circulated
2003 Canada Day Coloured Coin Jade Pearen 63,511 $9.95 N/A
2004 Canada Day Coloured Coin Cosme Saffioti 44,759 $9.95 N/A
2004 Canada Day Multi-Ply Plated Steel Nick Wooster 29,762 24.95 Part of Canada Day bundle.
2005 Canada Day Coin Stan Witten N/A 9.95 N/A
2006 Canada Day Coin (coloured featuring two children holding a Canadian flag) N/A N/A 9.95 Packaged with four Crayola crayons
2007 Canada Day Coin (coloured featuring RCMP) N/A N/A 9.95 Packaged with tattoos

Other notable dates

  • The 1906 Small Crown is valued in the thousands of dollars for even very poor conditions.
  • 1936 marked two valuable variations, the Bar and the Dot, both trend for over $1000 in uncirculated condition.
  • The 1947 Dot is highly desired.
  • The 1951 Low Relief was predominantly only made available in proof-like sets and have a mintage of around 500.
  • The 1973 Large Bust is arguably the most desired Canadian Quarter. They sell for around $300 in Proof Like or Specimen condition, and can sell in the thousands for high end circulation strikes.
  • The 1992 New Brunswick quarter has several rotated die versions, with the 180 degree rotation selling for between $100 and $200 in uncirculated condition.
  • 1999 featured mule versions of the September and November quarters. These coins do not have the 25 CENT mark on them, making them, ironically, legal tender without a face value. Both tend to sell for over $100 depending on the exact condition of the coin.
  • The 2000 Map Mule is rather rare and generally sells between $300 and $600.
  • The 2000P quarter is a very rare find and trends for around $5000 in uncirculated condition.

Trivia

  • The first commemorative coins were planned for 1927 to celebrate Canada's 60th anniversary. A contest was held and the winner for the twenty-five cent coin was J.A.H. MacDonald; however, the Mint decided to not turn the design into coinage.[12]
  • When coinage was changed in 1937, the carribou was originally planned for the five cent coin, the beaver was planned for the ten cent coin, and the Bluenose was planned for the twenty-five cent coin.[13]
  • The lowest mintage of any circulated quarter post-World War II was in 1991; low mintage was attributed to a work stoppage and using up stock in preparation for the release of the commemorative quarters the following year. The total mintage was a mere 459,000 including collector sets and proofs.[14]
  • Canadian quarters were not issued into circulation in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, only 525,257 quarters were produced. In 1998, only 395,617 quarters were produced; even less than in 1991. All of them were issued in collector sets or proofs and none were issued into circulation.

References

  1. ^ 5 sur 5 - Notes du journaliste :
  2. ^ Boîte à réponses | 275-Allô | zone Jeunesse | Radio-Canada.ca
  3. ^ Eggleston, Gary (2007). "The Canadian Quarter Dollar". Bella Online. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
  4. ^ Charlton Standard of Canadian Coins, p.135
  5. ^ Bridis, Ted (2007-05-07), "U.S. feared poppy quarter", The Toronto Star{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^ Royal Canadian Mint 2006 Annual Report, p. 46
  7. ^ Royal Canadian Mint 2006 Annual Report, p. 46
  8. ^ "Alberta's Centennial Coin". Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  9. ^ Royal Canadian Mint Template:PDFlink, page 38. Retrieved May 7, 2007
  10. ^ SASKATCHEWAN RESIDENTS INVITED TO VOTE ON 2005 CENTENNIAL QUARTER - Government of Saskatchewan
  11. ^ “14 circulating coins included in 2010 Olympic program”, Bret Evans, Canadian Coin News, January 23 to February 5, 2007 issue of Canadian Coin News
  12. ^ Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, ISBN 0-660-91234-1
  13. ^ Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, ISBN 0-660-91234-1
  14. ^ Charlton Standard of Canadian Coins, p.128
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