5 Cents (In the name of George V; The Forgotten 1927 Designs - 5 Cents)

The 2017 5-cent coin, issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, is a numismatic commemoration of the 'forgotten' 1927 designs intended for the reign of King George V. During that era, the Mint commissioned several artists to develop new motifs for the coinage, but these specific concepts were ultimately shelved in favor of the more traditional beaver design that became iconic to the Canadian nickel. This 2017 release serves as a historical retrospective, reviving these archival concepts to give collectors a glimpse into what might have been had the Mint chosen a different artistic path nearly a century ago.

The design features the work of Emanuel Hahn, a prominent sculptor whose influence on Canadian coinage remains profound. In his 1927 submission, Hahn sought to capture a distinctly Canadian identity, moving away from imperial motifs toward naturalistic depictions that reflected the country's landscape and wildlife. By reissuing these patterns, the Royal Canadian Mint honors Hahn’s original vision and the experimental spirit of the 1920s, allowing modern enthusiasts to appreciate a significant piece of Canadian design history that remained obscured in official records for decades.