Canadian fifty-cent coin
The Canadian fifty-cent coin is a Canadian coin worth 50 cents. The coin's reverse depicts the coat of arms of Canada. At the opening ceremonies for the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, held on January 2, 1908, Governor General Earl Grey struck the Dominion of Canada's first domestically produced coin. It was a silver fifty-cent coin bearing the effigy of King Edward VII.
Though it is regularly minted, it is not made in large quantities, and since 2004 has only been available to the public directly from the mint.
A largely unsuccessful attempt was made by the Royal Canadian Mint to promote the use of the coin when a special edition was released in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne. After this failed promotion, the mint stopped distributing 50-cent coins to banks and now sells them only in rolls or in coin sets available directly from their Numismatic Department at twice their face value, or $25 per roll of 25 coins.
The mint's website lists the 2007 coat of arms 50-cent coin as "rarely seen yet replete with tradition".
History
During the early to mid-1920s, demand for 50-cent coins was minimal. Only 28,000 coins were issued between 1921 and 1929. When greater demand for the denomination arose in 1929, the Master of the Ottawa Mint decided to melt the stock of 1920 and 1921 coins. It amounted to a total of 480,392 coins. The decision was due to the belief that the public would suspect counterfeits if a large number of coins dated 1920 and 1921 were placed into circulation. It is believed that 75 or so of the 1921 coins have survived, mainly from sets that were sold at the time.Composition and size
Circulation figures
Elizabeth II
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
| 1953 No strap | 1,630,429 | This variety is also called with/without shoulder fold. |
| 1953 Strap | 1,630,429 | This variety is also called with/without shoulder fold. |
| 1954 | 506,305 | |
| 1955 | 753,511 | |
| 1956 | 1,379,499 | |
| 1957 | 2,171,689 | |
| 1958 | 2,957,266 | Large reverse design, simple coat of arms. |
| 1959 | 3,095,535 | Small reverse design, complete coat of arms. |
| 1960 | 3,488,897 | |
| 1961 | 3,584,417 | |
| 1962 | 5,208,030 | |
| 1963 | 8,348,871 | |
| 1964 | 9,377,676 | 1st obverse portrait |
| 1965 | 12,629,974 | 2nd obverse portrait |
| 1966 | 7,920,496 | Last regular issue coin in silver. |
| 1967 | 4,211,392 | Canadian Centennial, this coin features a howling wolf and is dated 1867–1967. |
| 1968 | 3,966,932 | |
| 1969 | 7,113,929 | |
| 1970 | 2,429,526 | |
| 1971 | 2,166,444 | |
| 1972 | 2,515,632 | |
| 1973 | 2,546,096 | |
| 1974 | 3,436,650 | |
| 1975 | 3,710,000 | |
| 1976 | 2,940,719 | |
| 1977 | 709,839 | |
| 1978 | 3,341,892 | This figure includes the "square" and "round" jewels varieties. |
| 1979 | 3,425,000 | |
| 1980 | 1,574,000 | |
| 1981 | 2,690,272 | |
| 1982 | 2,236,674 | This figure includes the "small" and "large" beads varieties. |
| 1983 | 1,177,000 | |
| 1984 | 1,502,989 | |
| 1985 | 2,188,374 | |
| 1986 | 781,400 | |
| 1987 | 373,000 | From this date forward, 50¢ coins were generally minted in smaller amounts. |
| 1988 | 220,000 | |
| 1989 | 266,419 | 2nd obverse portrait |
| 1990 | 207,000 | 3rd obverse portrait |
| 1991 | 490,000 | |
| 1992 | 445,000 | 125th anniversary of Confederation; this coin is dated 1867–1992. |
| 1993 | 393,000 | |
| 1994 | 987,000 | |
| 1995 | 626,000 | |
| 1996 | 458,000 | |
| 1997 | 387,000 | Revised coat of arms on the reverse. |
| 1998 | 308,000 | |
| 1999 | 496,000 | |
| 2000 | 559,000 | Struck in nickel |
| 2001 P | 389,000 | Struck in nickel plated steel. |
| 2002 P | 14,440,000 | Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee |
| 2003 P | 50¢ coins minted since 2003 are not for circulation. |