History of the Canadian Silver Dollar
Canada’s big silver dollar arrived in 1935 with Emanuel Hahn’s beloved voyageur design — a fur trader and First Nations paddler in a canoe. Struck in 80% silver until 1967, the series mixes affordable bullion-adjacent dates with real rarities and some of the most famous varieties in world numismatics.
The king is the 1948, with a mintage of just 18,780 caused by the die change after India’s independence altered the royal titles. Variety hunters chase the 1947 Maple Leaf and the celebrated 1955 "Arnprior" dollars with missing water lines.
The Canadian silver dollar was struck from 1935 to 1967 in silver in 80% silver. Each coin weighs 23.33 grams (0.6 oz silver). Production took place at Ottawa (Royal Canadian Mint).
How much is a Canadian silver dollar worth?
Condition drives everything in numismatics. A heavily worn Canadian silver dollar and a pristine one can differ in price by a factor of ten or more, so treat the figures below as broad retail ranges for problem-free coins rather than fixed quotes.
Printed price guides age quickly. The most honest benchmark is what comparable coins actually sold for, which is why CoinVault Pro shows live values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold results whenever it identifies a coin.
- Common dates, circulated: $18–$25 (silver value)
- Common dates, uncirculated: $25–$50
- 1947 Maple Leaf: $150–$400
- 1948, VF+: $1,200–$2,500+
How to identify a genuine Canadian Silver Dollar
Before you get excited about a potential find, confirm that the coin in your hand matches the genuine article. Work through this checklist:
When a coin fails any of these checks, treat it with suspicion. Modern counterfeits can be convincing at arm's length, but weight, dimensions and die details rarely lie.
- Silver ends after 1967 — later "dollars" are nickel and worth face value.
- The 1948 is the key; confirm the date style against references, as alterations exist.
- Arnprior varieties show 2½ or fewer water lines by the canoe’s stern.
Check your Canadian silver dollar with CoinVault Pro
The fastest way to find out what you have is to photograph the coin with CoinVault Pro. The app identifies it using Gemini AI combined with Coin-CLIP image matching, estimates a grade on the full Sheldon 1–70 scale, and shows live market values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold prices.
From there you can add the coin to your collection, track its value over time, put upgrades on your wishlist, or list it on the in-app marketplace with escrow protection. The app is free to download on iOS and Android.