2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent Coin
The 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent is a Canadian 50 cent coin struck for circulation with 14.4 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2002
- Circulation mintage
- 14,440,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- Nickel-plated steel
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent worth?
With 14.4 million made, the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent is common and worth face value in circulated condition. Only uncirculated coins with full luster, recognized varieties and genuine errors interest collectors.
What would make yours worth more:
- Full uncirculated luster
- Original mint roll or set coins
- A recognized variety or genuine error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent rare?
- No. 14.4 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 cent coins were made?
- 14,440,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent made of?
- Nickel-plated steel. It weighs 6.9 g and measures 27.13 mm.
- Is the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent still legal tender?
- Yes. Canadian 50 cent coins are legal tender.
The 2002 50 cent coin in context
Every 50 cent piece dated 2002 carries the double date 1952 and 2002 for the Golden Jubilee, the fiftieth year of Elizabeth II's reign. The queen visited Canada in October 2002 and the jubilee was marked across the country. The mint struck 14,440,000 plated steel 50 cent pieces for the year, the largest mintage of any Canadian 50 cent piece. She had come to the throne on 6 February 1952. Every Canadian coin dated 2002 shared the double date.
That huge figure stands out in a series that was otherwise struck in the hundreds of thousands. It came between 389,000 in 2001 and the small runs of the mid 2000s, so the 2002 is by far the easiest modern date to find. Despite the large number, the coin is still uncommon in change, since the 50 cent piece was rarely used for daily purchases. Many people have one tucked away as a jubilee souvenir. Collectors value it as the commemorative 50 cent piece of the jubilee year, rather than as a scarce date. Its double date makes it easy to spot.
How to recognize it
Dora de Pédery-Hunt's crowned portrait of the queen faces right inside ELIZABETH II D·G·REGINA, with the double date 1952 and 2002 and a small P for plated. The reverse shows the revised coat of arms with CANADA and 50 CENTS. Its plated steel body weighs 6.9 g and measures 27.13 mm. Like all plated steel coins, it is magnetic. Look for clean, unscratched plating and sharp detail on the crown and arms. The two dates sit on the obverse with the portrait, so check that side first. The coat of arms on the reverse is the revised design with the Order of Canada ribbon around the shield.
2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent by the numbers
In mintage terms the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent is the most common of 125 Canadian 50 cent dates and varieties from 1870 to 2022. The next scarcer is the 1965 Canadian 50 Cent (12.6 million).
Compared with the dates around it, the 2002 output was 37 times the 2001 figure and 72 times the 2005 figure.
Over the 2000s the Mint produced 16.3 million 50 cent coins across 8 dates and varieties; the 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent accounts for 89% of that.
What to check on your 2002 P Golden Jubilee Canadian 50 Cent
- Try a magnet. Nickel-plated steel is magnetic, so a genuine 2002 coin sticks; a silver one would not.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or polishing leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
- Look for full luster and no scratches. Modern 50 cent coins only interest collectors in uncirculated condition or with a recognized variety.
The 2002-P Golden Jubilee 50 cents is a face value coin in circulated condition, with a small premium for bright uncirculated pieces. Its high mintage keeps it common. It makes a nice souvenir of the jubilee and a good type coin for the double date. Keep it in a holder to avoid scratches. Because so many were made, a 2002 is the easiest plated steel 50 cent piece to find in nice condition. Look for coins without spots or scratches on the plating.
Plated steel 50 cents (2001 to 2022)
To cut costs the Royal Canadian Mint moved the 50 cent piece to plated steel in 2001. The new coin weighs 6.9 g against 8.1 g for nickel, keeps the 27.13 mm diameter and carries a small P, for plated, under the portrait. Both kinds are magnetic, so weight and the P are what tell them apart. Every 2002 coin carries the double date 1952 and 2002 for the queen's Golden Jubilee. Susanna Blunt's uncrowned portrait replaced de Pédery-Hunt's crowned one in 2003.
By this time the 50 cent piece was barely seen in daily change. It was struck mainly for mint sets and for collectors who buy coins in rolls, which explains the small figures. The 2002 Golden Jubilee issue is the great exception at 14,440,000. After that, reported mintages drop to 200,000 in 2005, 98,000 in 2006 and between 150,000 and 250,000 for most years to 2012. Production then rose steadily to 875,000 in 2017, the year of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation, before settling at 750,000 and then 375,000.
Low mintage does not always mean rare here. Many of these coins were saved in sets and rolls from the start, so survivors are in fine condition and most trade at face value or a small premium. The dates worth noticing are 2006, the lowest of the modern run, followed by 2009 and 2010. Keep coins fresh from a roll in a holder, since plated steel shows scratches. Queen Elizabeth died in September 2022, ending a run of her portraits on the 50 cent piece that began in 1953.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 2002 |
| Circulation mintage | 14,440,000 |
| Composition | Nickel-plated steel |
| Weight | 6.9 g |
| Diameter | 27.13 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
Why does the 2002 50 cent piece show 1952 and 2002?
The double date marks the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, who came to the throne in 1952. Canadian coins dated 2002 carry both dates. The two dates sit on the obverse beside the portrait.
Is the 2002 Golden Jubilee 50 cents rare?
No. With 14,440,000 struck, it has the largest mintage of any Canadian 50 cent piece. It is a face value coin in circulated condition, with a small premium for uncirculated examples.
Mintage figures: 50-cent piece (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.