Canada 1921 5 cents
This specimen was lot 20604 in Heritage sale 3008 (New York, January 2010), where it sold for $69,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "Canada. Stunning Norweb Specimen MS66 1921 5 Cent Silver. George V silver 5 Cent 1921, MS66 PCGS, Ex: Norweb Collection. The strike is sharp and the surfaces mark-free with mottled russet and gold toning. This issue stands solidly at the pinnacle of the 5 Cent silver series. With over 2,000,000 of the original mintage melted, and only a few hundred pieces released by the mint (the vast majority of which went directly into circulation), it is relatively easy to understand why this issue is so elusive. Common knowledge suggests that the very few surviving Mint State examples were given to visitors to the Ottawa Mint in 1921, or sold to numismatists. Only one piece has been certified finer than this amazing coin by PCGS (2/1), and that was listed earlier in our offering of the Canadiana Collection." Canada issued silver five cent pieces 1858-1921. In 1920, the coin was debased from .925 to 0.800 fine, then in 1921 it was converted to a nickel piece very similar to the U. S. five cent coin. The silver five cents already minted were melted, except for a few....
Recorded mintage: 2,562,485 (nearly all melted--SCWC reports about 460 known).
Specification: 1.16 g, 0.800 fine silver, .030 troy oz ASW, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM 22a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Cross, W. K., The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 62nd Ed., Toronto: Charlton International, 2008.
- [1]Tucker, Warren, and Scott Cordry, Heritage Signature Auction 3008: World Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2009.
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