Canada’s coinage was originally issued with a .925 silver content as opposed to .900 fine standards of US silver coins. This was later reduced to .800 in 1920 and .500 by mid-1967 and abandoned a year later in favour of pure nickel coins. Another contrast was the issue of large cents from 1858-1920, while the US introduced a smaller cent of similar size, content and weight.

The 1 Cent or the “Penny” is a copper coin. On the obverse of the coin currently in circulation is the portrait of Elizabeth II facing right surrounded by a divided legend “ELIZABETH II D.G.REGINA” meaning ‘Queen Elizabeth II by the Grace of God’ within a dotted circle. On the reverse is the portrait of a maple leaf with value “1 CENT” above and legend “CANADA” and year of strike below. It weighs 2.35gms and has a diameter of 19.5mm.

The Government of Canada announced plans to abolish the Penny in 2012, though it will be a while before all the existing ones will be taken out of circulation.

Image Courtesy: colnect