Rare Canadian Coins

Known as the Emperor of Canadian Coins, the 1911 Canadian Silver dollar is the rarest coin from Canada. In 1965, it sold for $55,000 and took the spot for being the World's Most Valuable Coin in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Today it is still the most valuable and famous Canadian coin. The 1911 Silver Pattern Dollar was sold at auction in 2003 for $1 Million.

Brief History of the Canadian 1911 Silver Dollar:

After much debate, it was through the approval of the Dominion of Canada Currency Act of 1910, that the first Canadian Silver dollar was struck in 1911. There were only three specimens made, two made of .925 silver, and the other in lead.

They were not meant for circulation. They were created as pattern coins, to show the proposed design.

When the two Canadian silver coin pieces were sent for approval, the government refused to mint the coins for circulation saying that it was not the intention of the government to give an order for such class of coins.

Two specimens (silver and lead) are housed at the National Currency Collection museum in Ottawa while the other silver specimen is owned by a private numismatist.