Got this nice 1952 Canadian nickel at my LCS today. Spent $1 for it. Getting a little confused trying to track down an approximate value. Anybody have any insights? Thanks!
It's weird because I did not notice that spot until I saw the enlarged picture here. Now when I look at the coin itself, I can't UNsee it. Drat! Coin looks much better in hand then in these pictures.
This can give you some guidance. You can set the currency for value to whatever. https://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-prices.php?canadian_coins=5-cents-1937-1952
The prices that you find in CaC are very inflated. Actual value is about 60-70% of what they list, and sometimes 50% or less. Nice coin. Too bad about the spots and scratches.
I've got one with the same reverse, but with the Queen on the obverse. Yours looks like a 12-sided coin?
The Canadian 5c coin was made 12 sided after the 1942 tombac debacle, where the RCM made the 5c coin in tombac - a bronze coloured alloy and like in the USA the following year with the zinc plated steel cent - it confused people. In 1943 they minted the tombac alloy 5c coin with a 12 sided blank. That still didn't please people so in 1944 the RCM minted chromium plated steel 5c coins. Nickel was a strategic resource during the war, the US obviously saw that which is why the Americans minted the silver manganese and copper alloy 5 cent coins until 1945. The RCM minted the chrome plated steel coins until 1947 or so, then returned to the chrome plated during the Korean war because of the strategic metal thing and returned to nickel in 1954-1955. The coin was 12 sided until 1963 when they went back to the round blank.
