1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime
The 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime is a Canadian dime struck for circulation with 3.61 million made. Value band: collector premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1913
- Circulation mintage
- 3,613,937
- Value band
- Collector 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 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime worth?
The 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime is a variety, so its scarcity is not visible in the published 3.61 million, which counts both the Large Leaves and Small Leaves coins of 1913 together. Only a small share of 1913 dimes 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 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime rare?
- Yes, by the standards of Canadian dimes. The 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime is a variety, so its scarcity is not visible in the published 3.61 million, which counts both the Large Leaves and Small Leaves coins of 1913 together.
- How many 1913 Large Leaves Canadian dimes were made?
- 3,613,937 were struck for circulation (a combined figure for the Large Leaves and Small Leaves varieties).
- What is the 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime made of?
- Sterling silver (92.5% silver). It weighs 2.33 g and measures 18.03 mm.
- Is the 1913 Large Leaves 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 1913 dime in context
The 1913 large leaves dime is one of the key varieties of George V's reign. That year the dime was struck with two versions of the maple wreath and the large leaves version, with broader leaves, is much the scarcer. The published mintage of 3,613,937 covers both types, so no separate figure exists, but large leaves coins are found far less often than small leaves ones. It is a coin that hides in plain sight among ordinary 1913 dimes.
The large leaves coins were struck early in the year with the old broad leaves wreath used since 1909, before a new small leaves wreath took over. In 1913 the Ottawa mint was striking more dimes than ever since 1910, so a small share struck with the broader leaves could easily slip into circulation unnoticed. Collectors did not pay much attention at first. Today the large leaves is recognized in the standard references and sought by anyone building a full set of George V dimes. It is the reason every 1913 dime deserves a second look, no matter how worn.
How to recognize it
The obverse is Mackennal's crowned and robed bust of George V facing left, with GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. The reverse shows 10 CENTS and 1913 inside a crowned wreath of maple leaves. On this variety the leaves are broader and fuller than on the common small leaves coin. The difference is clearest when you compare the two side by side or check against good photographs. The coin is sterling silver at about 2.33 g and 18 mm with a reeded edge, holding a little under 0.07 troy oz of silver. It has no mint letter, being an Ottawa coin.
1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime by the numbers
The published 3,613,937 for 1913 covers both the Large Leaves and Small Leaves varieties together, so neither can be ranked on its own. As a date, 1913 sits 55th lowest among Canadian dime dates by output.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1913 output was 1.1 times the 1912 figure and 1.4 times the 1914 figure. Other 1913 dimes: 1913 Small Leaves Canadian Dime.
Over the 1910s the Mint produced 39.5 million dimes across 10 dates and varieties; the 1913 Large Leaves Canadian Dime accounts for 9.1% of that.
What to check on your 1913 Large Leaves 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.
- Confirm the variety: large 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 dimes.
A genuine 1913 large leaves dime is a significant rarity among George V dimes and collectors pay well above face value for it in any grade. Because the difference is in the wreath, you need enough detail to attribute it with confidence. If you think you have one, compare it carefully with reference images and consider having it checked by a grading service before selling. Avoid buying uncertified examples from unknown sources, since a worn small leaves coin can easily be mistaken for the scarcer type.
George V sterling dimes (1911 to 1919)
George V succeeded his father in May 1910 and his first Canadian coins are dated 1911. Bertram Mackennal modeled the crowned and robed bust, which faces left. The 1911 legend, GEORGIVS V REX ET IND: IMP:, left out DEI GRA:, the words for by the grace of God and the public reaction was loud enough that the dies were changed. From 1912 the legend reads GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND: IMP:. The 1911 coins are still known as the Godless issue.
The reverse kept 10 CENTS and the date inside a crowned maple wreath. In 1913 two versions of the wreath were used, one with small leaves and one with broader large leaves; the large leaves dimes are much the scarcer. The dime was still sterling silver, about 2.33 g and 18 mm, all struck in Ottawa. Mintages fell to 688,057 in 1915 and then soared during the First World War, as wages and prices rose and people needed more change. By 1919 the Ottawa mint struck 7,877,722 dimes, a record that stood until 1940.
These are the last sterling silver dimes Canada made, each with a little under 0.07 troy oz of pure silver. Most are worn, so look at the crown and the jewels on the king's robe for remaining detail. Check 1913 dimes closely against pictures of the two leaf styles, since the large leaves version is a genuine rarity. The 1911 is popular as a one year legend and the 1915 is the low mintage date of the period.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 10 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1913 |
| Circulation mintage | 3,613,937 (with the Small Leaves variety) |
| Composition | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) |
| Weight | 2.33 g |
| Diameter | 18.03 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Other 1913 Canadian dimes
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 Small Leaves Canadian Dime | 3,613,937 | Metal value |
Frequently asked questions
How rare is the 1913 large leaves dime?
Much scarcer than the small leaves version. No separate mintage is published, since the 3,613,937 total covers both, but large leaves coins are found far less often and are one of the key George V varieties.
What should you compare to identify a large leaves 1913?
Look at the maple leaves around the wreath on the reverse. On the large leaves coin they are broader. Compare with photographs of both versions, or with a common small leaves 1913, under a magnifier.
Mintage figures: Dime (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.