Today I took a bit of time out and sat down with a tub of old pennies. Bliss! We’d put it aside back in 2013.
The earliest one was 1952 and the latest was the last – 2012. All of them saved from 2011/2012 circulation. Unfortunately there were a few with severe bronze disease and it has now spread as it is wont. Tiny patches of bright green here and there. There’s no time to treat it for a penny so they must go. There’s a fair few gaps in my ‘Date Run’ but there’re lots of Cents in reasonable and even extremely fine condition. There’re some with interesting rainbow toning, some with shiny flakes of original lustre, some looking like the day they rolled off a plastic press. Others look a bit grubby and well, worn. Perfect.
Penny Facts
From1982–1996 the Canada cent was 12-sided. It was composed of copper (with a bit of tin and zinc)
In 2002 Queen Elzabeth had reigned for 50 years. It’s her Golden Jubilee. The Canada cent was issued to commemorate.
From 1997–1999 the Cent was made of Zinc with a thin copper plating and then from nominally 2000–2012 the Cent is Steel with a bit of nickel and a thicker copper plating. Although 2000 was nominated transition year the Zinc core cents were produced every year except 2008. Steel cents dated before 2002 are test pieces for calibrating coin-operated machines, and are very rare in circulation. This is where a magnet comes in handy for dragging out those steel cores.
The effigy of the Queen designed in 2003 was by Suzanne Blunt. Here is her autograph:
More in a bit.
Do you have a ‘Penny Fact’ ? Let us know!
Happy collecting!
Julian Ticehurst
For images and information about the Cent thank you wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(Canadian_coin)
Thank you CoinsandCanada.com for images of the Cent
