1 Cent (In the name of George V; Two maple leaves design - 1920)

The 2017 Canadian one-cent coin was struck as a commemorative piece to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation. While Canada officially discontinued the circulation of the one-cent coin in 2013 due to rising production costs and low purchasing power, the Royal Canadian Mint occasionally produces special numismatic issues to celebrate significant national milestones. This particular design honors the historical 1920 one-cent coin, which famously shifted from a larger size to a smaller format and introduced the iconic two-maple-leaf motif.

The design of this anniversary issue replicates the original 1920 obverse and reverse, maintaining the connection to the George V era while updating the production standards. The imagery was intended to evoke a sense of historical continuity, grounding the 150th-anniversary celebration in the early 20th-century aesthetic of the Canadian coinage tradition. Collectors and historians have generally received these commemorative issues as respectful nods to the evolution of the Canadian currency system rather than as functional tender.