I found these two while roll searching nickels. Both are well struck and very clean. The 2003 is marked with a "P" on the obverse. What does the "P" indicate? The 2009 has a crown(?) in a circle on the obverse. What does the crown indicate? They look very rough in the quick photos I took with my new phone!
For a few years in the early 2000s Canada started using mintmarks, and there was a P on some coins, no mark on others and the Royal Canadian Mint mark on others (that's the weird symbol you mentioned). The P only lasted a few years and now it's just the RCM mark. Hopefully someone else can tell you more.
More info on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_...kings.2C_including_mint_marks_and_privy_marks P – From 2001 to 2006, most 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, and 50¢ coins issued for circulation were struck with a P Mint Mark to represent the Royal Canadian Mint's plating process. RCM Logo – At the CNA Convention in July 2006, the RCM unveiled its new privy mark to be used on all circulation and numismatic coinage. The agenda behind the implementation of this new privy mark was to help increase the RCM's image as a brand. The aim of the logo is to educate coin users and coin collectors, respectively, that the RCM is minting Canada's coins. The first circulation coin to have this new mint mark is the 10th anniversary $2 coin. The first numismatic coin to have this new marking is the Snowbirds coin and stamp set.[SUP][43][/SUP]
Thanks for the info. Good stuff. Made me look up "privy mark". A privy mark was originally a small mark or differentiation in the design of a coin for the purpose of identifying the mint, moneyer, or some other aspect of the coin's production or origin, for control purposes. Nowadays it is mainly used as a design and marketing feature.
