Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1967
Composition: 80% Silver, 20% Copper (also in 50% Silver / 50% Copper)
Diameter Type: 18.03 mm
Weight: 2.33 grams (.06 oz silver for 80% Silver, .0375 oz of silver for 50%)
Total Series Mintage: 62,998,215
Obverse Design: Bust Design
Reverse Design: Fish
Introduction
In 1867 without firing a single shot (or drop of blood) Canada received its independence and became a Commonwealth Nation within the British Empire and establishing itself as a Confederacy.
Flash forward almost a hundred years later, Canada was preparing for the 100th anniversary of the countries birth and in 1964 declared that a special set of circulating commemorative coins would be issued for 1967 and that an open competition would be held for the coin designs with an award of $2500 to the artists whose designs were chosen. In 1966, Alex Colville's animal designs were chosen and he was awarded the prize money of $2500.
A fine example of one of Colville's designs was the 10 cent (dime) design.
Design
The obverse design remained unchanged from previous the previous year. Designed by Arnold Machin, the obverse feature the image of a young Queen Elizabeth II wearing a tiara and facing right. On the outer periphery are the words “ELIZABETH II” and “D.G. REGINA”. Encircling the overall design is a circle of beads.
The reverse, designed by Alex Colville, features a mackerel. Above the design is the denomination “10 Cents”. Below the design is the word “CANADA” and dual date “1867-1967”. Encircling the overall design is a circle of beads.
Part way through the mintage year the price of silver drastically rose forcing the Royal Canadian Mint to reduce the silver content from 80% to 50%. Unfortunately for collectors there is no physical way to quickly distinguish the two quarters as design, weight, thickness and diameter are all the same. But, once you own a coin there is a simple sound test that can be performed to tell you the which coin you have.
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General Market Notes
With more than 60 million coins issued, affordable examples are readily available to collectors.