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10 Cent

The 10 cent coin is the next coin in line after the nickel in Canadian currency and is also known as a dime. The coin was first created for Canada in 1858 and is still in circulation today. The coin features the reigning royal monarch at the time of minting on the obverse side and includes various images on the reverse side based on the time period or a particular design. The coin is mainly known for the Bluenose schooner design created by Emanuel Hahn in 1937.

Reverse Side Designs

From 1858 to 1936, the 10 cent coin had an image of crossed maple boughs on the reverse side. The design actually was placed on the 10 cent, twenty five cent and fifty cent coins in this time period. From the years 1937 to 1966 and 1968 to present time, the ten cent piece featured The Bluenose a famous schooner design created by Emanuel Hahn, an artist from the 1930s. The design was created to symbolize the magnitude of the industry involving fishing as well as maritime skills of the countrymen.

In 1967, the ten cent coin had a unique design as the coin was a centennial creation. Alex Colville was busy that year creating commemorative coins of every denomination for the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. The coin features a mackerel on the reverse side. In 2001, Canada would see the creation of a ten cent piece known as the International Year of the Volunteer. This coin was created to honor the International Year of the Volunteer created by the United Nations. The coin is a tribute to the Canadians who help those who are in need.

Composition of the Ten Cent Coin

When the ten cent coin was first created, it was comprised of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. This composition would remain in place from 1908 until the end of 1919. From 1920 to 1967, the coin would consist of 80% silver and 20% copper. By 1968 and continuing through 1999, the ten cent piece would be created from 99.9% nickel. The only changes in technical features during this time would be diameter and thickness. From 2000 to present, the ten cent coin has a composition of 92% steel, 5.5% copper and 2.5% nickel. The composition of the ten cent piece would change due to the time period with nickel not being used for some time due to war efforts.

The ten cent piece is a coin that is still found in circulation today. The coin can be highly collectible based on a number of factors including the rarity of the coin, grading and any imperfections. Coin collectors often have ten cent pieces in their collection from Canadian currency that can have a high monetary value. To learn more about ten cent pieces of Canada, search our database. We offer a wide selection of Canadian coins and can easily help you find the next edition to your collection. Look through our listings to find exactly what you are searching for!