5 Cents - George VI (steel)
Canada • 5 Cents • Chromium plated steel • 1951–1952
- Denomination
- 5 Cents
- Issuer
- Canada
- Struck
- 1951–1952
- Composition
- Chromium plated steel
- Currency
- Dollar
- Weight
- 4.54 g
- Diameter
- 21.234 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 42a · Schön 41a
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1951 Canadian five-cent coin, minted in steel, was produced during a period of significant metal shortages following the outbreak of the Korean War. The Canadian government required nickel for military production and defense efforts, necessitating the temporary substitution of chromium-plated steel for the traditional nickel composition used in coinage.
The coin features the effigy of King George VI on the obverse and the iconic beaver design on the reverse, which was created by artist G.E. Kruger-Gray. This design choice remained a constant in Canadian numismatics throughout the mid-twentieth century, and while the steel coins were a functional response to wartime supply constraints, they are today appreciated by collectors for their historical connection to Canada's role in the global geopolitical climate of the 1950s.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About 5 Cents - George VI (steel)
5 Cents - George VI (steel) is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Canada • 5 Cents • Chromium plated steel • 1951–1952. 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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Where does the 5 Cents - George VI (steel) catalog entry come from?
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