The penny was Canada’s first official coin. For over 150 years, Canadian circulation coins included a 1-cent coin. Canadian pennies predate the country itself, although it wasn’t until well after Confederation that they would be minted on Canadian soil.

In 2013, the Royal Canadian Mint discontinued production of the Canadian penny, though the 1-cent coin Canada is still considered legal tender. We invite you to learn more about the fascinating history of this humble coin.

Until the mid-19th century, Canadians were using a strange mix of British coins, local tokens, and coins from other countries. Believing it necessary to give the Canadian monetary system some order, the British government first started minting Canadian circulation coins in 1858, one of which was the Canadian 1-cent.

Even following Confederation in 1867, all Canadian coins, including the Canada 1-cent, continued to be minted at either the Royal Mint or Heaton Mint in England until 1908. That year, the Royal Canadian Mint was established in Ottawa. The need for a new minting facility was first recognized in 1960, but construction on the Winnipeg facility would not begin until 1972. It would take another four years to complete but, starting in 1976, every one-cent Canada coin was minted in Winnipeg until they were discontinued in 2012.

Officially, the Royal Canadian Mint refers to the coin as the “one-cent piece.” The word “penny” derives from “pence,” which was part of the British monetary system initially used in Canada. In America, the one-cent coin is referred to as the penny, which probably influenced Canadian colloquialism.