2004 Canadian Pennies

I was curious about the composition of 2004 Canadian pennies.

Are there still some that are minted with a zinc core instead of the steel one. I have some 2004 pennies that are magnetic (steel ones) and some that are not. The steel (magnetic) ones have the "P" underneath the effigy and the non magnetic ones do not.

I'm thinking that the mints in Ottawa and Winnipeg might use different materials, However, the RCM website says that all 2000-present pennies are minted with 94% steel.

 

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I just got one without the P and it does seem light like zinc

 

Hmmm, i'm not too sure, my little book still shows 97 - 2003 pennies as being copper plated zinc...

 

Paul 23,could you pleae post some photos of the 2004 Canadian 1c. coin?

Aidan.

 

There are both plated steel and non plated 1¢ coins in 2003 and 2004. I thought the non plated ones were copper.The no P coins seem to be more common in 2004 they are a bit hard to find in 2003.
It is my understanding that all the circulating coins are minted in Winnipeg.

Bill

 

Yep. Krause has been doing horrible listing modern Canadian circulation coins over the past few years.

 

With well over 100,00 pictures, and many times that number of individual dates and types, in the four-volume SCWC alone, some errors are bound to creep in. The catalog, and its specialized siblings such as World Gold Coins, are, and always will be, "works in progress".

When you are knowledgeable enough about a specific area to be sure you have spotted an error, just drop an email to michaelt@krause.com, and help improve the book for everyone.

 

The copper/zinc cents are being phased out.

In 2004, there were a relatively equal number of both "P" and non mint marked cents.

The "P" coins are made using steel blanks. They undergo a plating process whereby a thin layer of copper is added at the end. In 2003, there were four different varieties of cents (featuring two different effigies). Neither is particularly worthy of keeping.

 

Gerard,I didn't know that there is 2 different portraits of our Queen on Canada's coins for 2003.I have got a 2003 25c. with the
terrible foetus-like portrait on it.It is good to see someone interested in British Commonwealth coinage posting here.

Aidan.

 

Two obverses in the same year

In 2003 Canada changed the monarch's bust mid-year.

The new effigy shows Lizzy much older and she sports no crowns.

With the introduction of the plated cent a few years earlier, 2003 sported four different type one-cent pieces.

The 25-cents were no longer made of nickel in 2003 as that metal was phased out entirely a few years earlier. The 2003 Quarter still sports two distinctly different obverses.

I have posted the four different one-cents (with and without the P mint mark). You can also see the plated coins appear to be considerably more polished.

The rest of the nickel series all have the P mint mark in 2003 (except for the Dollar and Two dollar coins)

 

Gerard,we have got Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of our Queen on the coins over here.We always follow Aussie & Great Britain regarding the Queen's portrait on coins.

Aidan.

 

Canadian coinage

For whatever reason our country still follows that silly tradition of putting the English monarchs on the obverse of the coins.

Slowly we've eliminated them from our paper currency.

Personally I am not a monarchist and could think of a million other faces I would rather see on our currency. They provide no benefit to our country yet still get an allowance in the millions.

I suspect once Lizzy packs it in, cooler heads would prevail and we'll dump the Windsors once and for all.

But then again, I'm sure others out there have the exact opposite approach.

 

Gerard,Her Majesty still appears on the Canadian $20 note,& yes,she appears on the New Zealand $20 note.If it hadn't been for the British monarchs,Canada would be a very different place (speaking French).Don't forget that it was King George III's Governors who entered into treaty negotiations with the various Native Canadian Nations & the Inuits to protect their rights as human beings.The French certainly did nothing like that.They just drove the people off their land.The cost of the monarchy to both Canadians & New Zealanders is peanuts really,as you're paying for the maintenance of the Governor-General of Canada & the Lieutenant-Governor of your province.You are not paying the Royal Family to reign in Canada.

Aidan.

 

Monarchs on coinage

Sadly you are correct. The Queen still appears on our $20 bill and all our coinage. There are some debates brewing about Chuck's role on our currency.

While I don't dispute what England, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France did to colonize America in general, there comes a time when the ties need to be severed. Most Canadians have a lot of respect for the Queen and don't have a problem with her adorning our cash. Chuck on the other hand is a joke in the press and in public.

The Inuit and Six Nations would argue your point about the freedoms they were given by any of the colonizing nations. Many are still in litigation about land and resource claims. In fairness to them if a native Canadian chooses to live on a reservation, they would pay very little tax and get considerable amount of incentives including federally funded pensions, health/dental/vision care, and if their grades are high enough, can choose to attend ANY college or university. Many reservations in America have also set up casino gambling which is tax-exempt. The money they earn helps them maintain their culture and traditions. This treatment is part due to their inhumane treatment at the hands of the early colonists. Over the years, 100 of thousands if not millions were killed or displaced during the "Indian wars" in Canada and the US. The "wild man" was to be tamed with "christian beliefs". What a farce. Actually sounds a lot like George Bush. "Democracy is good as long as you follow our traditions".

I stand by my point. Like most younger Canadians, we believe the English monarchy and England in general do nothing for Canada. The Governor-General/Lieutenant-Governors are symbolic to our parliament. There are those who would dispute that. The Governor-General has been repeatedly accused of syphoning off millions of tax-payers dollars to go on little insignificant trists around the world. Recently she took 50 "office workers" to Europe for an export summit and defended herself by saying George Bush's entourage is in the 100s.....

As it has in Australia, particularly with the Generation X group, the tide is turning for the monarchists in this country. You will find most 50+ with English/Scottish background are strong supporters of the monarchy in Canada. Unfortunately with the "pro-multicultural position" of our recent governments, most new citizens are from non-commonwealth countries and couldn't care less about them.

I am unfamiliar with your country's stand on the monarchy. Do the citizens feel the same way?

Interesting conversation. Not much to do about coins really.

 

You Canadians had your chance over 200 years ago to kick out he Brits but you did not want to join in. So, you are stuck with the Queen, and next the king. Maybe Camilla will make it onto a coin also.

 

Ouch

Yes that's true.

We (actually the Brits) were too busy taking over the US.

Remember Canadian/English troops attacked and burned the White House in the war of 1812. The "Star Spangled Banner" sings about that war. The red glare was the glare of the White House burning.

Sadly our forefathers were terrified of the Brits as our country only had a few settlements all under British occupation. I guess that why now Canadians as a whole are pacifists.