Canada, five cents, 1953
By Library and Archives Canada | Monday, 29 March 2004
In 1951, during the Korean War, Canada was faced with a shortage of nickel, which had traditionally been used in producing the five-cent piece. To deal with this problem, the Royal Canadian Mint reverted to a solution which had been found during the Second World War. It struck five-cent pieces in steel and plated them with chromium. In 1953 a new five-cent piece bearing the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was introduced, its shape and metal composition remaining the same as the 1952 issue. George Kruger-Gray's design featuring a beaver, which had been introduced in 1937, continued to appear on the reverse. Kruger-Gray's initials KG appear to the left of the beaver. The chromium-plated steel five-cent pieces were struck and issued until 1955, when once again nickel was used. The coin featured forms part of the National Currency Collection, Bank of Canada.
Canada, Five Cents, 1953
This article represents a portion of the the article titled Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada
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