5 Cents - George VI (dodecagonal, tombac)
Canada • 5 Cents • Tombac (Cu 88%, Zn 12%) • 1942
- Denomination
- 5 Cents
- Issuer
- Canada
- Struck
- 1942
- Composition
- Tombac (Cu 88%, Zn 12%)
- Currency
- Dollar
- Weight
- 4.54 g
- Diameter
- 21.234 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 39 · Schön 33
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1942 dodecagonal five-cent coin was introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint as a wartime necessity. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, nickel became a critical strategic material required for the production of armor plating and ammunition. To preserve the country's nickel reserves, the Mint transitioned the five-cent piece to a tombac composition, an alloy consisting of 88 percent copper and 12 percent zinc.
The coin's distinct twelve-sided dodecagonal shape was maintained from the previous nickel series, a design choice intended to help visually impaired citizens distinguish it from other circulating currency. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T.H. Paget, while the reverse displays the iconic Victory symbol—a large 'V' superimposed over the torch of sacrifice—designed by Thomas Shingles. This specific design was intended to serve as a patriotic morale booster during the conflict, featuring a hidden Morse code message around the rim that translates to 'We win when we work willingly.'
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About 5 Cents - George VI (dodecagonal, tombac)
5 Cents - George VI (dodecagonal, tombac) is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Canada • 5 Cents • Tombac (Cu 88%, Zn 12%) • 1942. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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