Canadian Ten Cent Reverse Designs and Coin Specifications
Reverse Designs
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This page shows the major die designs since Canadian coins were introduced in 1858. It does NOT cover "die blunders", where dies were re-punched
with different years (and the previous number is visible below the current number), or where cracks appeared in the dies causing unwanted lines
to appear in the coin. It also does not cover date doubling or special coins created for the collector market. All of the coin designs displayed here were
manufactured for general circulation as legal tender. NOTE: Click on any photo to load a much larger version of the same photo |
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The crossed maple boughs Designed by Leonard C. Wyon, The two crossed maple boughs appeared on all 10-cent coins from 1858 to 1881, but there were a few different die varieties. The 1858 design featured 21 maple leaves. |
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The crossed maple boughs Designed by Leonard C. Wyon. For the first coins struck in 1870, the design used on the 1858 coins were re-used (21 leaf). |
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The crossed maple boughs (22 leaves) Designed by Leonard C. Wyon, The 22 Leaves design appeared on all 10-cent coins from l882 through to 1901. |
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The Crossed Maple Boughs 1902-1909 Victorian Leaves Designed by G.W. Desaulles. From 1902 to 1909 a design was used that was adapted from the 1882-1901 22 leaf design. During the 1909 production year a new design was implemented that featured broader leaves and much more detailed veins in the leaves (see below). |
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The Crossed Maple Boughs 1909-1910 Broad Leaves Designed by W.H.J Blakemore During the 1909 production year a new design was implemented that featured broader leaves and much more detailed veins in the leaves. |
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The Crossed Maple Boughs Designed by W.H.J Blakemore. The version used in 1911-1913 is a continuation of the 1909 design. |
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The Crossed Maple Boughs Designed by W.H.J Blakemore. Very early in the 1913 production run a new die set was designed with smaller leaves. This design was used until 1936. Important note: Production of ten cent coins was stopped after 1921, and was not resumed again until 1928. |
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Bluenose, Designed by Emanuel Hahn. As part of a major re-design of all canadian coins in 1937, Emanuel Hahn was commissioned to design a new reverse. The iconic ship known as the Bluenose was chosen. Bluenose was designed by William Roue and built by Smith and Rhuland, Bluenose was launched in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on 26 March 1921. She was built to be a racing ship and fishing vessel, in response to the defeat of the Nova Scotian Fishing Schooner Delawana by the Gloucester, Massachusetts fishing schooner Esperanto in 1920, in a race sponsored by the Halifax Herald newspaper. After a season fishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland under the command of Angus Walters, Bluenose defeated Elsie (out of Gloucester), returning the International Fishermen's Trophy to Nova Scotia. In 1930, off Gloucester, Massachusetts, she was defeated 2-0 in the inaugural Sir Thomas Lipton International Fishing Challenge Cup by perhaps her most celebrated competitor, the Gertrude L. Thebaud. However, over the next seven years of racing, no challenger, American or Canadian, could take the title from her. She was no mere racing ship, but also a general fishing craft that was worked hard throughout her lifetime. She fished cod and other kinds of fish, and at least once won competitions for largest catches of the season and similar awards. The 1937 design used a font for the date that was only used that year. |
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Starting in 1938 the font was changed to use larger digits with a more pronounced curve at the top of the "6" and bottom of the "9" |
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Designed by Alex Coleville. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Confederation, Alex Colville created a special set of designs for all coin denominations. The ten-cent coin features a mackerel. During the year, the rising price of silver forced a reduction in the silver content to 50% from 80%. There is no way of telling which percentage a coin contains. |
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During the 1969 production run the font was changed to use a smaller schooner and smaller font size with less pronounced curves at the top of the "6" and bottom of the "9". This font more closely resembles that which was used in 1937 |
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In addition to the issue of the regular Bluenose 10 cent coin in 2001, this reverse (designed by Stan Witten) was issued in honour of the United Nations'
International Year of the Volunteer and pays tribute to the millions of Canadians who help those in need. To make room for this design, the denomination and date were moved to the obverse. |
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Elizabeth Coronation Anniversary This coin was issued in honour of the the golden anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The date was moved to the obverse side and altered to read "1952 2002". |
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While the standard Bluenose design was used for the classic 10 cent coin (only produced for the "Classic Canadian Coin Set"), a special series of circulation coins
were produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation. The Sesquicentennial 10 cent coin - "Wings of Peace" To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, a design contest was held among all ordinary citizens. The ten cent coin was designed by Amy Choi of Calgary, Alberta. This unique design features a maple leaf that is clutched in the beak and also part of the dove itself |
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2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the launch of Bluenose: Canada's most famous ship, the pride of Nova Scotia and a Canadian icon.
Three special coin designs were created to celebrate this centennial: - The standard Bluenose design was altered slightly by adding the year of her launch in 1921 to the left side of the ship. - For the other two designs the reverse design by Canadian marine artist Yves Berube is double dated "1921 - 2021". The engraved portrait shows Bluenose under full sail and heeled to port on the open ocean, which is painted blue on the coloured coin. The following information comes from the Canadian Encyclopedia: "The Bluenose was launched at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in 1921. It was named with the common nickname, first used by T.C. Haliburton, applied to those born in Nova Scotia. The schooner was designed by William J. Roue to fish for cod on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, at a time when such work was done from the decks of wooden tall-ships powered by sail. The Bluenose was also designed to race on the open ocean. It was the first time the self-taught Roue had designed a working fishing schooner, rather than a recreational or racing vessel. Speed was essential to both of the Bluenose's tasks. Obviously, the faster boat wins the race, but the faster fishing vessel also gets back to port quickest, guaranteeing its crew will get the best price for its catch. Victor Cavendish, the governor general of Canada, travelled to Lunenburg to drive the golden spike that would mark the ship's completion. He swung the big iron hammer at the spike, but failed to connect - he had just been to another function and evidently enjoyed a bit too much drink. Someone else helped him out, and the spike was finally driven. Skippered by Captain Angus J. Walters against the fastest American schooners, many of them from Gloucester, Massachusetts, the Bluenose crew set its sights on winning the International Fishermen's Race. The event pitted working fishermen in their regular schooners, competing for the Fishermen's Trophy. The Bluenose achieved that goal, and more. It won the Trophy - emblematic of the sailing championship of the fishing fleets of the northwest Atlantic - in 1921, 1922 and 1923. Its only defeat was by the Boston schooner Gertrude L. Thebaud in the Lipton Cup in 1930, but it outraced the Thebaud for the Fisherman's Trophy in 1931 and 1938. The Bluenose also held the record for the largest catch of fish brought into Lunenburg. Nicknamed the "Queen of the North Atlantic", the Bluenose represented Nova Scotia around the world. It appeared at the Chicago World Fair in 1933 and crossed the Atlantic to England in 1935 to attend the silver jubilee of King George V." |
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