Issuer Canada
King George V (1910-1936)
Type Standard circulation coins
Year 1911
Value 10 Cents
0.10 CAD = USD 0.07
Currency Dollar (1858-date)
Composition Silver (.925) (.925 silver .075 copper)
Weight 2.324 g
Diameter 18.034 mm
Shape Round
Technique Milled
Canadian large cents of 1858–1920 were significantly larger than modern one-cent coins and even slightly larger than the modern 25¢ piece. After Confederation, these large cent coins were struck on the planchet of the British halfpenny and were roughly the same value. Pennies were issued sporadically in the third quarter of the 19th century. They were used in the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia upon Confederation in 1867.
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia had issued their own coinage prior to that date, with British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland continuing to issue "pennies" until they joined Confederation. The coin was reduced in size to its current size to match the size of the American penny.
The first Canadian cent was minted in 1858 and had a diameter of 1 inch (25.4 mm) and a weight of 1⁄100 pound (4.54 g). These cents were originally issued to bring some kind of order to the Canadian monetary system, which, until 1858, relied on British coinage.