Canadian cents

Dick · Expert Member

I would like to start a thread on Canadian cents. Maybe there are those of you that have a few, and would like to know more about them. I am NOT an authority, but I ha ve the 2008 CDROM, and also the Charltons 2005 Catalogue. Maybe I can answer a few questions, such as what to look for, maybe an estimate of what it is worth. comments?
Chuck, Is this the right place for this? If not, please advise, and move it where it should be. thanks. I don't know of any other place that it would be okay.
Dick

Bob P · Site Admin

Dick,
This would be the place for this thread. Have at it with the Canadian Cents. It will be interesting to see what comes up here.

Robert · Senior Member

I like the large cents of Canada myself. You can find these coins in decent grades for not much money. The most common year (1918) has a mintage under 13 million which is about the same as a 1911-D cent (but again at a fraction of the cost). There are several nice Canadian varieties to hunt for too (such as 1859 repunched dates and 1891 small date cents).

My 2008 Charlton Standard Catalogue has a verbal description of how to grade Canadian coins and a very nicely done (and exhaustive I think) section on portrait varieties on the Canadian quarter. All throughout the book there are lots of other varieties shown in detail as well.

Dick · Expert Member

Thanks Bob!
Richard, I am just starting in Canadian coins. I had a few that came out of rolls of cents, (US), but nothing of any importance. I got the CDROM, and actually wanted the book. I have a vision problem, and the CDROM, isn't the best way to view. I also have the 2005 Charlton catalogue, (thanks to Daggit). It was sent to me as a gift, with 26 rolls of Canadian cents, even swap for 26 US cents. Now I have both, the coins, and the references to udentify them, and get an idea as to what i have. Along with these I also obtained 2100 ccents, that run fron 1937-1952 Some have been checked, but most hace been sorted into date-rolls, for future reference. I recently won an album 1920-date. It is missing the '23, and '25, but all the rest are there. There are two more "incoming" that I won on ebay. All deal with the 1920-date series. The large cents will have to wait fior a while. I will get to them, eventually, but a little at a time. There is a lot I have to learn about them, and now is as good a time as any. At the same time, I'll try to help anyone with questions that I can answer. The rest, I will refer to the Coin Community, Canadian forum. There are several very well imformed members there who are very helpful. Come aboard, the hatch is open!
Dick

GarryN · Expert Member

I like the Canadian Large Cents too. My local coin shop usually has one or two on the bid board. Also Columbian Expo elongates that are done on Canadian Large cents are very nice. Ebay has had some nice Canadian coins, small cents particularly, from the Pittman collection.

Robert · Senior Member

Dick,
Are you getting good at grading George V small cents (1920-1936)?

To anyone who might be interested, to grade these coins I look at the headband portion of the crown. You will need a magnifying glass, but in that headband there are four pairs of pearls (I think they're pearls). The pearls look like raised dots and each of the pairs are in an "over-under" pattern with one on top and one below. Of the four pairs along the headband, the middle two pairs are near the highest point on the obverse side of the coin. Therefore, the middle 2 pairs wear first.

If all 4 pairs of pearls are present in the headband, the coin is probably an XF. If only 3 pairs are visible, it's VF. If the middle two pairs are gone (leaving one pair on each end of the headband) it's F. If only one pair is visible, it's VG. No pairs means it's G.

Another thing to look at is the tip of the mustache. If any detail is present in the mustache tip it's probably VF or better.

It's my experience that the reverse side of Canadian coins don't count much toward the overall grade of the coin. Does anyone agree/disagree with that?

Robert · Senior Member

Oh and here are some die varieties to look for in Canadian small cents:

1936 (w/ dot below date) (VERY rare)

1947 maple leaf (with blunt 7 or pointed 7) (this refers to the upper right corner of the 7)

1948 and 1949 (last "A" of "Gratia" points to a denticle or between denticles)

1953, 1954 and 1955 (with and without a shoulder fold over the Queen's right shoulder)

1965 ("A" of "Regina" points to a bead or between beads; also the top right corner of the "5" is pointed or blunt)

1983 (beads near or far from the edge of the coin)

1985 (the top right corner of the "5" is pointed or blunt)

Some of these varieties are pretty good, from a valuation perspective.

Dick · Expert Member

Thanks Robert. It is odd that you come up with the grading tips at this particular time. I have been checking the coins in my album 1920-date. In "date", it ended at 1964, but the rest of the holes have been filled to 1972. Using the CDROM, I went thru the whole thing, and marked the status of each coin, except for a grade. I know nothing about grading CAnadian coins, and your post will be downloaded to a hard copy! Thanks for the info! I'll make good use of it. I went all the way thru to the 2007 BU rolls I have. Now there are many more varieties than holes in the album, or in my tube boses, i had to add tubes in the date secquence to make room foor the info from the 20008 CDROM. I will be asking you from timt , to time for advice, and/or suggestions for making sure "it points at, or between" the denticles. Especially when there seems to be three positions. I have some that I USE THE FIRST "A" in "Gratia" for reference, because the other is full of crap, or it is not clear enough to tell where the apex is actually aimed. The reason I use it, on occasion, is that it is the opposite of the laast "A". You will agree that , the is,,and probably always has been a point of confusion. I have talked at length with KURTS, on CC forum, Canadian section, in thes respect, and would be interested in your opinions. Thanks for your comments, and info.
Dick

Dick · Expert Member

Robert, I have a 1932 with five horizontal , "oval shaped openings, with a paor of small items at each end. I take these to be the "pearls" you mention.
"If all 4 pairs of pearls are present in the headband, the coin is probably an XF. If only 3 pairs are visible, it's VF. If the middle two pairs are gone (leaving one pair on each end of the headband) it's F. If only one pair is visible, it's VG. No pairs means it's G".
If these are the things you refer to, I have all of the small "things". The point that appears to be very high, and has notable wear is an "Axe-shaped cross, directly abopve the ear. What is its status? I was giung to try anf make a "rubbing, to see where the high spots are, but you may have saved me some trouble!
My efforts to print this thread, turned out useless. Everything came out but the text!
Dick

smed · Senior Member

eagames · Expert Member

It's easy to start putting a set of these together out of what you find searching rolls.

I'm wondering how high the interest level is in Canada for cent sets, do they go up in value or what's a 1920-2008 set worth?

Dick · Expert Member

ED, those are good questions. I have an album, ( recently "won" on ebay, that goes from 1920-(date), 1964, with extra holes that are filled to 1972. Value? No idea. Grade? same answer, but Robert has given some ideas, and smed mentioned thast the reverse, is generally taken for granted, and that the Monarch is where it is all about. My only info inthis rspect, (value0 would be the individual coins and their condition. We might attempt a grading system, for the US concern. It would have to be some one who is at home grading "our coins', to give us an idea. Any volunteers? As i have said before, The Cahrlton 2008 CDROM on Canadian cents, and their varieties is available for reference to values, and "PUP"s. The photos are nit that clear insome cases, but there are those who can help with this determination.
As far as how much interest, here in the US , about Canadian coins, in general, I can't say, but there are many from the US in the CAnadian forum at Coin Community Forums. Which indicattes that there is more than meets the eye,in this resoect. many are interested in cents, and many more who are interested in the larger coins, primarily, the dollars. Thes tthread could be expanded, later, as necessary, to include the other denominations, but for the present, should be generally, cents. IMHO, the majority will rule. Questions, comments? Feel free to ask. I am no authority, but will try to asnswer as best I can, any questions that are put forth.
Dick

Dick · Expert Member

ED, to be more specific, you asked is, do the cents go up in value. The best answer is that from what I have seen in the values given in the catalogue, (2005 ED.), and the CDROM, 2008 ed. is that they move very slowly, except for the varieties, and PL, (Proof Like) . Most of the lower grades are generally even across the board, and even up into the MS grades. I might add , too, that they, The Canadians also list values for "Machine doubling"; "Hub doubling"; THey call it "Hub punching". There are others, but I don't recall their names, off-hand. I'll try to post an example on one of the charts. I can't get it to copy, but I made a copy with Print Screen deluxe, and can scan it to an email, if you would like. It will be the large cents, 1906-1910, G-4 to SP-64. mintages are given.
From what I have seen, and read, it might be a good idea to "get in on the ground floor" before the demand gets very large, and the supply very small. We may not be getting any "new" cents, after the 2009, issue. In which case we may have to 'cross the border" to get cents to collect. After all, they are nearly on a par with the dollar, and are accepted as just another cent, so why not collect them?
Dick

eagames · Expert Member

Dick,

The reason I asked about interest level is last year at coin shows I saw almost complete folders in junk boxes for almost nothing and nobody was buying them. I've also seen that the few keys which are very low mintage are much much less money than the key Lincoln cents.

Seems like a fun set to put together for cheap.

Dick, I sent you a PM.

smed · Senior Member

Except for the 20's keys and semi-keys, 22-27, and a couple of varieties, they're very easy to come by.

Just like if you buy a Lincoln set you only really buying a few key coins, it's the same way with the Canadian small cents.