1908 Canadian Dime
The 1908 Canadian Dime is a Canadian dime struck for circulation with 776,666 made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1908
- Circulation mintage
- 776,666
- 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 1908 Canadian Dime worth?
At 776,666, the 1908 Canadian Dime has a smaller run than most Canadian dimes, so collectors pay a small premium for it, especially in uncirculated condition. Well circulated examples sit close to face value.
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 1908 Canadian Dime rare?
- It is scarcer than most Canadian dimes. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 1908 Canadian dimes were made?
- 776,666 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1908 Canadian Dime made of?
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver). It weighs 2.33 g and measures 18.03 mm.
- Is the 1908 Canadian Dime still legal tender?
- Yes. Canadian dimes are legal tender, but a silver one is worth more for its metal than its face value.
The 1908 dime in context
The 1908 is the first Canadian dime struck in Canada. For fifty years the country had ordered its coins from London and Birmingham, shipping them across the Atlantic. In January 1908 the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint opened its doors and took over the work. The published mintage for its first dimes is 776,666, well below the 2,620,000 of 1907 and far below the 1,697,220 the mint would strike in 1909 once it was fully up to speed.
A national mint had been discussed for years and the rapid growth of the country made the case stronger. From 1908 Canada could control the supply of its own coins. The first year was a modest one for the dime, as the new mint settled in and the existing stock of coins struck in England was still circulating. For collectors the 1908 has a story that lifts it above its neighbors: it is the first of every Ottawa dime that followed, including the Bluenose dimes of today. The lower mintage helps too.
How to recognize it
Nothing on the coin announces the new mint. The obverse carries de Saulles's crowned and robed bust of Edward VII facing right, with EDWARDVS VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR. The reverse shows 10 CENTS and 1908 in a crowned wreath of maple leaves, the same style used since 1902. There is no mint mark, since Ottawa did not mark its coins. The dime is sterling silver at about 2.33 g and 18 mm, with a reeded edge and a little under 0.07 troy oz of silver. Only the date tells you that it was made in Ottawa rather than in England, so read it carefully.
1908 Canadian Dime by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 1908 Canadian Dime ranks 21st lowest of 157 Canadian dime dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1902 Canadian Dime (720,000); the next more common is the 1871 Canadian Dime (800,000).
For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Dime with 467.5 million, about 602 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Dime with 150,000, 5.2 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1908 output was 3.4 times fewer than 1907 and 2.2 times fewer than 1909.
Over the 1900s the Mint produced 14.7 million dimes across 12 dates and varieties; the 1908 Canadian Dime accounts for 5.3% of that.
What to check on your 1908 Canadian Dime
- Check the date first: silver Canadian dimes carry dates from 1858 to 1968; this one has 0.0693 troy oz. Silver coins are not magnetic and ring clearly when dropped on a hard surface.
- 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 dimes.
With 776,666 struck, the 1908 is one of the lower mintage Edwardian dimes and carries a collector premium in any grade. Many collectors like to own it as the first Canadian struck dime, which keeps demand steady. Look for detail in the crown and the folds of the robe. A sharp, original example with natural toning is far more appealing than a bright, cleaned one. Because it marks such an important change, it is one of the Edwardian dates that collectors are happy to own even in modest condition. Check the date first, then the surfaces and the edge for damage.
Edward VII sterling dimes (1902 to 1910)
Queen Victoria died in January 1901 and the first dimes for her son Edward VII are dated 1902. The new king appears crowned and robed, modeled by George William de Saulles, with the legend EDWARDVS VII DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR. The reverse kept its familiar layout of 10 CENTS and the date inside a wreath of maple leaves, but the crown at the top was redrawn. London and the Heaton mint both struck dimes in 1902 and 1903, so those years exist with and without an H.
The big change of the reign came in January 1908, when the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint opened. From that year on, Canada's dimes were struck at home. Output climbed with a growing economy, from 500,000 in 1903 to 4,468,331 in 1910, the largest dime mintage up to that time. The coins are still sterling silver at about 2.33 g and roughly 18 mm, carrying a little under 0.07 troy oz of pure silver. In 1909 the wreath on the reverse was redesigned, which is why the 1909 dime comes in two versions with different leaves.
Edward VII dimes are easier to find than Victorian ones, but most are worn. Look at the crown on the king's head and the folds of his robes, which wear flat quickly. The 1903 London coin, with 500,000 struck, is the scarcest regular date, while the 1908 marks the first year of Ottawa production. On 1909 dimes compare the leaves with a picture of each type before deciding which you have. Every coin of the reign is silver, so none is ever just face value.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1908 |
| Circulation mintage | 776,666 |
| Composition | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) |
| Weight | 2.33 g |
| Diameter | 18.03 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Frequently asked questions
Was the 1908 dime made in Canada?
Yes. The Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint opened in January 1908 and the 1908 dimes were struck there. Earlier Canadian dimes were made in London or Birmingham and shipped over.
Does the 1908 dime have a mint mark for Ottawa?
No. Ottawa did not put a mint mark on its coins, so the 1908 looks like other Edwardian dimes apart from the date. The H only appears on coins made by the Heaton mint in Birmingham.
Mintage figures: Dime (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.