1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent Coin
The 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent is a Canadian 50 cent coin struck for circulation with 649,521 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1910
- Circulation mintage
- 649,521
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver)
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent worth?
The 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent is a variety, so its scarcity is not visible in the published 649,521, which counts both the Edwardian Leaves and Victorian Leaves coins of 1910 together. Only a small share of 1910 50 cent coins are this variety, which is why collectors pay a collector premium for a confirmed example and much more for one in sharp, original condition.
What would make yours worth more:
- Sharp detail with original luster
- A recognized variety for the date
- Professional grading for a key date
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent rare?
- It is scarcer than most Canadian 50 cent coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 cent coins were made?
- 649,521 were struck for circulation (a combined figure for the Edwardian Leaves and Victorian Leaves varieties).
- What is the 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent made of?
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver). It weighs 11.62 g and measures 29.72 mm.
- Is the 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent still legal tender?
- Yes. Canadian 50 cent coins are legal tender, but a silver one is worth more for its metal than its face value.
The 1910 50 cent coin in context
During 1910 the Ottawa mint reworked the maple leaves on the 50 cent reverse. Coins with the new leaves are known as Edwardian leaves, to separate them from the older Victorian leaves style used earlier in the year and before. Both share the year's mintage of 649,521, the largest of Edward VII's reign and more than three times the 203,118 of 1909. That run came from the Ottawa mint in only its third year of operation.
The modified wreath outlived the king. Edward VII died on 6 May 1910 and George V's 50 cent pieces, dated from 1911, continued with a wreath in the revised style. That makes the 1910 Edwardian leaves coin a bridge between the two reigns: Edward's portrait on one side and the reverse of the future on the other. The large mintage means it is one of the more available Edwardian dates, which suits collectors who want a type coin for the reign. Variety collectors pair it with the Victorian leaves coin to show the change within a single year. Both types are worth checking for.
How to recognize it
The obverse is Edward VII crowned and robed, facing right, with EDWARDVS VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR. The reverse has 50 CENTS and 1910 within the maple wreath under a crown. Identifying the variety means studying the leaves, whose shape and detail differ slightly from the older style. Compare your coin with good photos of each type rather than relying on memory. The metal is sterling silver: 11.62 g, about 29.7 mm and around 0.35 troy ounces of pure silver. Wear shows first on the king's beard, the top of the crown and the leaf veins, which are also the details you need to attribute the coin.
1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent by the numbers
The published 649,521 for 1910 covers both the Edwardian Leaves and Victorian Leaves varieties together, so neither can be ranked on its own. As a date, 1910 sits 69th lowest among Canadian 50 cent coin dates by output.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1910 output was 3.2 times the 1909 figure and 3.1 times the 1911 figure. Other 1910 50 cent coins: 1910 Victorian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent.
Over the 1910s the Mint produced 4.65 million 50 cent coins across 9 dates and varieties; the 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent accounts for 14% of that.
What to check on your 1910 Edwardian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent
- Check the date first: silver Canadian 50 cent coins carry dates from 1870 to 1967; this one has 0.3456 troy oz. Silver coins are not magnetic and ring clearly when dropped on a hard surface.
- Confirm the variety: Edwardian style leaves. Use a magnifier and compare with a reference picture before you assume you have the scarcer one.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or polishing leaves fine scratches that collectors spot at once and that cut the value of silver dates sharply.
- Look at the high points of the portrait and the design. Wear there sets the grade. The grade in turn drives the value of older 50 cent coins.
A 1910 Edwardian leaves coin carries a collector premium as Edwardian silver, but its high mintage makes it one of the easier dates of the reign. Look for a coin with clear leaf veins, since those are what let you attribute it. Wear on the beard and crown is normal. Coins in fine condition with crisp leaves are the ones variety collectors want most. For a type set, it is a good choice to represent the reign. Check the rim for damage and the surfaces for cleaning.
Edward VII silver 50 cents (1902 to 1910)
Victoria died in January 1901, but 50 cent pieces dated 1901 still show her. Edward VII arrives on coins dated 1902, in a crowned and robed bust by George William de Saulles facing right, with the legend EDWARDVS VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR. The reverse kept the familiar layout of 50 CENTS and the date inside a maple wreath, with the crown at the top redrawn for the new reign. Nothing changed in the metal. An Edwardian 50 cent piece is still sterling silver, 11.62 g, with about 0.35 troy ounces of pure silver.
The big change was where the coins came from. Heaton in Birmingham struck its last 50 cent pieces for Canada in 1903, marked with an H. London supplied the rest until January 1908, when a branch of the Royal Mint opened in Ottawa. From then on Canada's coins were made at home. Demand for the denomination was still modest. Mintages range from just 40,000 in 1905 to 649,521 in 1910. The four years from 1902 to 1905 never reach 150,000. The 1910 coins come with two slightly different leaf designs on the reverse.
For this reign the date tells you most of what you need. The 1905 is the key, with 1904 close behind, while 1902, 1903-H and 1908 are better dates in any grade. The 1906, 1907 and 1909 are easier but still collector coins. Wear shows first on the king's beard and mustache, the top of the crown and the leaf veins. Edward died in May 1910, yet every 1910 50 cent piece still carries his portrait; George V's first coins are dated 1911.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1910 |
| Circulation mintage | 649,521 (with the Victorian Leaves variety) |
| Composition | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) |
| Weight | 11.62 g |
| Diameter | 29.72 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Other 1910 Canadian 50 cent coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 Victorian Leaves Canadian 50 Cent Coin | 649,521 | Small premium |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1910 Edwardian leaves 50 cents common?
It is one of the more available Edward VII dates, since the year's mintage of 649,521 is the highest of the reign. Like all sterling 50 cent pieces, it is still worth more than face value.
Why is the variety called Edwardian leaves?
Collectors use the name for the revised maple leaves introduced during 1910, Edward VII's last year. The older style, used since Victoria's time, is called Victorian leaves. Both types share the same portrait.
Mintage figures: 50-cent piece (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.