Quarter (Canadian coin)

Infobox Coin
Country = Canada
Denomination = Quarter
Value = 0.25
Unit = CAD
Mass = 4.4
Diameter = 23.81
Thickness = 1.60
Edge = milled
Composition = 94% steel,
3.8% Cu,
2.2% Ni plating
Years of Minting = 1870–present
Catalog Number = -
Obverse =
Obverse Design = Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
Obverse Designer = Susanna Blunt
Obverse Design Date = 2003
Reverse =
Reverse Design = Reindeer
Reverse Designer = Emmanuel Hahn
Reverse Design Date = 1937

The quarter is a Canadian coin, valued at 25 cents or one-fourth of a Canadian dollar. It is a small, circular coin of silver colour. According to the Royal Canadian Mint, the official name for the coin is the "25-cent piece", but in practice the term "quarter" is nearly universal.

In Canadian French, the quarter is commonly called a "trente sous" (a "thirty cents"). This is because the "sou" originally referred to a monetary unit used in France (and also New France), whereas today in Canadian French it means a Canadian cent, and somewhere in history 120 "sous" of New France came to be worth the equivalent of what eventually became the Canadian dollar. The exact exchange-rate mechanism by which this came to be is the subject of various occasionally contradictory theories. [ [http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/5sur5/shtml/notes/331.shtml 5 sur 5 - Notes du journaliste : ] ] [ [http://www.radio-canada.ca/jeunesse/275allo/boite_reponses/reponses.asp?sect=boite&hor=off&no_cate=6&no_theme=54&no_quest=384 Boîte à réponses | 275-Allô | zone Jeunesse | Radio-Canada.ca ] ] In Quebec, the term "cents" (pronounced SEN) is sometimes used in place of "sous".

History of composition

Millennium quarters

In April 1998, the Mint announced the Millennium Coin Design Contest, a contest open to all Canadians to submit designs for twenty-four millennium quarters, one for each month of 1999 and 2000. The 1999 designs were meant to look back on Canada's past, while the 2000 designs looked to the future. While the 1999 coins were labeled with their month of issue, the 2000 coins were labeled with the relevant theme (see below).

Olympic first strikes

Canada Day

Since 2000, the RCM has been issuing colourized quarters on Canada Day with designs aimed to attract young collectors. As with other collector coins issued by the RCM, the Canada Day series coins are non-circulating legal tender.

Other notable dates

* The 1906 Small Crown is valued in the thousands of dollars for even very poor conditions.
* 1936 marked two valuable variations, the Bar and the Dot, both trend for over $1000 in uncirculated condition.
* The 1947 Dot is highly desired.
* The 1951 Low Relief was predominantly only made available in proof-like sets and have a mintage of around 500.
* The 1973 Large Bust is arguably the most desired Canadian Quarter. They sell for around $300 in Proof Like or Specimen condition, and can sell in the thousands for high end circulation strikes.
* The 1992 New Brunswick quarter has several rotated die versions, with the 180 degree rotation selling for between $100 and $200 in uncirculated condition.
* 1999 featured mule versions of the September and November quarters. These coins do not have the 25 CENT mark on them, making them, ironically, legal tender without a face value. Both tend to sell for over $100 depending on the exact condition of the coin.
* The 2000 Map Mule is rather rare and generally sells between $300 and $600.
* The 2000P quarter is a very rare find and trends for around $5000 in uncirculated condition.

Facts

* The first commemorative coins were planned for 1927 to celebrate Canada's 60th anniversary. A contest was held and the winner for the twenty-five cent coin was J.A.H. MacDonald; however, the Mint decided to not turn the design into coinage. [Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, ISBN 0-660-91234-1]
*When coinage was changed in 1937, the carribou was originally planned for the five cent coin, the beaver was planned for the ten cent coin, and the Bluenose was planned for the twenty-five cent coin. [Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, ISBN 0-660-91234-1]
*The lowest mintage of any circulated quarter post-World War II was in 1991; low mintage was attributed to a work stoppage and using up stock in preparation for the release of the commemorative quarters the following year. The total mintage was a mere 459,000 including collector sets and proofs. [Charlton Standard of Canadian Coins, p.128]
*Canadian quarters were not issued into circulation in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, only 525,257 quarters were produced. In 1998, only 395,617 quarters were produced; even less than in 1991. All of them were issued in collector sets or proofs and none were issued into circulation.

References

External links

* [http://www.mint.ca Royal Canadian Mint's Official Website]
* [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/R-9/text.html Royal Canadian Mint Act]
* [http://www.canadian-numismatic.org/ Canadian Numismatic Association]
* [http://www.nunetcan.net Numismatic Network Canada]
* [http://www.canadiancoinnews.ca/ Canadian Coin News]
* [http://www.canadiancoinshop.net/collecting Coin Collecting Tips]