From Sea to Sea – the 50-cent Coin
The 50-cent coin bears the Canadian Coat of Arms, given to Canada by King George V via Royal Proclamation in 1921. The Arms feature the arms of England, Scotland, Ireland and France with a sprig of three maples leaves. The inscription, "A Mari usque ad Mare," means "from sea to sea," while the second inscription, "Desiderantes meliorem patriam," means "they desire a better country” and is the motto of the Order of Canada. The current design was produced by former Royal Canadian Mint engraver Thomas Shingles and was first used in 1959.
Although it is infrequently used for trade and commerce, the coin remains popular with coin collectors and the Mint strikes a few thousand 50-cent coins every year.
Reverse Side Designs
1858 – 1936
The crossed maple boughs
The design of two crossed maple boughs appears on all 10-cent, 25-cent, and 50-cent coins from 1858 to 1936.
1937 – 1958
The simplified Coat of Arms
A simplified version of Canada's Coat of Arms was created in 1937 for the 50-cent coin as part of an initiative to modernize Canada's circulation coins.
1959 – 1966, 1968 – present
The modified Coat of Arms
The Canadian Government approved a new Coat of Arms in 1957. In 1959 it appeared on the 50-cent coin, where it remains to this day.
1967
The centennial 50-cent coin
Alex Colville created a special set of coin designs to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Canadian confederation; the 50-cent coin features a howling wolf.
1997 – present
The modified Coat of Arms
In 1994, the motto of the Order of Canada was added to the Coat of Arms, which is the version of the coin produced today.
Technical Specifications
1908 – 1919
Composition: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
Weight (g): 11.62
Diameter (mm): 29.72
Thickness (mm): n/a
1920 – 1967
Composition: 80% silver, 20% copper
Weight (g): 11.66
Diameter (mm): 29.72
Thickness (mm): n/a
1968 – 1979
Composition: 99% nickel (minimum)
Weight (g): 8.1
Diameter (mm): 27.13
Thickness (mm): 1.93
1980 – 1999
Composition: 99% nickel (minimum)
Weight (g): 8.1
Diameter (mm): 27.13
Thickness (mm): 1.9
2000 – present
Composition: 93.15% steel, 4.75% copper, 2.1% nickel plating
Weight (g): 6.9
Diameter (mm): 27.13
Thickness (mm): 1.95
Mintages
1908 – 1909
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1908 | 128,119 |
| 1909 | 203,118 |
1910 – 1919
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1910 | 649,521 |
| 1911 | 209,972 |
| 1912 | 285,867 |
| 1913 | 265,889 |
| 1914 | 160,128 |
| 1915 | 0 |
| 1916 | 459,070 |
| 1917 | 752,213 |
| 1918 | 854,989 |
| 1919 | 1,113,429 |
1920 – 1929
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1920 | 584,429 |
| 1921 | 206,398 |
| 1922 | 0 |
| 1923 | 0 |
| 1924 | 0 |
| 1925 | 0 |
| 1926 | 0 |
| 1927 | 0 |
| 1928 | 0 |
| 1929 | 228,328 |
1930 – 1939
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1930 | 0 |
| 1931 | 57,581 |
| 1932 | 19,213 |
| 1933 | 0 |
| 1934 | 39,539 |
| 1935 | 0 |
| 1936 | 38,550 |
| 1937 | 192,016 |
| 1938 | 192,018 |
| 1939 | 287,976 |
1940 – 1949
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 1,996,566 |
| 1941 | 1,714,874 |
| 1942 | 1,974,165 |
| 1943 | 3,109,583 |
| 1944 | 2,460,205 |
| 1945 | 1,959,528 |
| 1946 | 950,235 |
| 1947 | 463,318 |
| 1948 | 37,784 |
| 1949 | 858,991 |
1950 – 1959
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,384,179 |
| 1951 | 2,421,730 |
| 1952 | 2,596,465 |
| 1953 | 1,630,429 |
| 1954 | 506,305 |
| 1955 | 753,511 |
| 1956 | 1,379,499 |
| 1957 | 2,171,689 |
| 1958 | 2,957,266 |
| 1959 | 3,095,535 |
1960 – 1969
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 3,488,897 |
| 1961 | 3,584,417 |
| 1962 | 5,208,030 |
| 1963 | 8,348,871 |
| 1964 | 9,377,676 |
| 1965 | 12,629,974 |
| 1966 | 7,683,228 |
| 1967 | 4,211,395 |
| 1968 | 3,966,932 |
| 1969 | 7,113,929 |
1970 – 1979
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,429,516 |
| 1971 | 2,166,144 |
| 1972 | 2,515,632 |
| 1973 | 2,546,096 |
| 1974 | 3,436,650 |
| 1975 | 3,710,000 |
| 1976 | 2,646,000 |
| 1977 | 709,939 |
| 1978 | 3,341,892 |
| 1979 | 3,425,000 |
1980 – 1989
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,943,155 |
| 1981 | 2,588,900 |
| 1982 | 2,884,572 |
| 1983 | 1,177,000 |
| 1984 | 1,502,989 |
| 1985 | 2,188,374 |
| 1986 | 781,400 |
| 1987 | 373,000 |
| 1988 | 220,000 |
| 1989 | 266,419 |
1990 – 1999
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 207,000 |
| 1991 | 490,000 |
| 1992 | 248,000 |
| 1993 | 393,000 |
| 1994 | 987,000 |
| 1995 | 626,000 |
| 1996 | 458,000 |
| 1997 | 387,000 |
| 1998 | 308,000 |
| 1999 | 496,000 |
2000 – 2009
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 559,000 |
| 2001 | 403,000 |
| 2002 | 14,440,000 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 200,000 |
| 2006 | 98,000 |
| 2007 | 250,000 |
| 2008 | 211,000 |
| 2009 | 150,000 |
2010 – present
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 150,000 |
| 2011 | 175,000 |
| 2012 | 250,000 |
| 2013 | 375,000 |
| 2014 | 500,000 |
| 2015 | 625,000 |
| 2016 | 800,000 |
Canadian Circulation
Over 1 billion circulation coins are minted each year at our high-tech plant in Winnipeg. We not only produce all of Canada’s circulation coins, we also manage the national coin supply – from weekly forecasting, to production, to recycling and eventual retirement.
