1 Cent - Elizabeth II (2nd portrait)

The 1965 Canadian one-cent piece features the second portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by sculptor Arnold Machin. Introduced to Canadian coinage in 1965, this effigy replaced the earlier Mary Gillick portrait, presenting the Queen wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The transition reflected a broader effort to modernize the monarch's image across the Commonwealth, marking a shift toward a more mature and regal depiction that would remain the standard for Canadian circulating coinage for over two decades.

The reverse of the coin retains the iconic maple leaf sprig design created by G.E. Kruger-Gray, which had been in use since 1937. As this was a period of transition in Canadian numismatics, the 1965 mintage included variations, such as the small and large beads around the obverse rim, which are of particular interest to collectors today. The coin represents a stable era of Canadian currency before the eventual phasing out of the penny in 2012, serving as a functional piece of history from a time when the one-cent denomination remained a staple of daily commerce.