1953 Canadian Nickel
The 1953 Canadian Nickel is a Canadian nickel struck for circulation with 16.6 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1953
- Circulation mintage
- 16,635,552
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- 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 1953 Canadian Nickel worth?
With 16.6 million made, the 1953 Canadian Nickel 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:
- 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 1953 Canadian Nickel rare?
- No. 16.6 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 1953 Canadian nickels were made?
- 16,635,552 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1953 Canadian Nickel made of?
- Plated steel. It weighs 4.54 g and measures 21.2 mm, with a 12-sided shape.
- Is the 1953 Canadian Nickel still legal tender?
- Yes. Canadian 5-cent coins are legal tender.
The 1953 nickel in context
The 1953 nickel introduced Elizabeth II to Canada's five cents. The queen had acceded in February 1952 and was crowned in June 1953 and Canadian coins with her portrait carry the 1953 date. The mint struck 16,635,552 nickels that year, a big jump on the years before. The coin was still made of plated steel because of the Korean War demand for nickel. People were curious to see the new queen on their coins.
Several varieties make 1953 a favorite with specialists. Two versions of the portrait were used: one shows a shoulder strap on the queen's gown and one does not, giving the strap and no strap varieties. Separately, the mintage notes also record near leaf and far leaf varieties on the coin. All of these are included in the 16 million total. For a beginner, 1953 is simply the first Elizabeth II nickel, but for anyone with a magnifier it rewards a careful look. The year also marked the start of a reign that would last into the next century. Few coins of the decade offer so much to study.
How to recognize it
Mary Gillick's portrait shows the young queen facing right, wearing a laurel wreath in her hair and a draped gown. The legend names her Elizabeth II, queen by the grace of God. The reverse keeps Kruger Gray's beaver on a rock with water around it, CANADA above and 5 CENTS below. The coin is 12-sided and struck in plated steel, so it is magnetic. To check for the strap, look at the queen's shoulder: on the strap coins a raised band runs over it, while on the no strap coins the shoulder is smooth. A magnifier makes the difference clear. It is a small detail but an easy one to see.
1953 Canadian Nickel by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 1953 Canadian Nickel ranks 91st lowest of 161 Canadian nickel dates and varieties from 1858 to 2024. The next scarcer is the 1940 Canadian Nickel (13.8 million); the next more common is the 1945 Steel Canadian Nickel (18.9 million).
For scale, the most common is the 2008 Canadian Nickel with 278.5 million, about 17 times as many. The scarcest is the 1884 Canadian Nickel with 200,000, 83 times fewer than this one.
Compared with the dates around it, the 1953 output was 1.5 times the 1952 figure and 2.4 times the 1954 figure.
Over the 1950s the Mint produced 101.1 million five cent coins across 11 dates and varieties; the 1953 Canadian Nickel accounts for 16% of that.
What to check on your 1953 Canadian Nickel
- Try a magnet. Plated steel is magnetic, so a genuine 1953 coin sticks; a silver one would not.
- Never clean it. Rubbing or polishing leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
- 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 five cent coins.
Most 1953 nickels are common, so the varieties are where the interest lies. Check the shoulder first, then compare the reverse with pictures of the near and far leaf types. Look for intact plating and no rust, since steel coins of this era corrode easily. A sharp, clean 1953 with a clear strap or no strap portrait is a good find. Rust spots on the beaver or the queen's face lower appeal sharply. Store steel coins somewhere dry and keep them away from damp paper envelopes, which can trap moisture.
Elizabeth II laureate portrait nickels (1953 to 1964)
Elizabeth II came to the throne in February 1952, but the first Canadian coins with her portrait are dated 1953. Mary Gillick's portrait shows the young queen with a laurel wreath in her hair and a draped gown. Two versions of the portrait were used in 1953, one with a shoulder strap on the gown and one without, which is why collectors look for strap and no strap coins of that year. The beaver stayed on the reverse.
The first two years were still struck on plated steel because of Korean War demand for nickel. Pure nickel returned in 1955 and remained in use for decades. The 12-sided shape lasted until 1962 and in 1963 the coin went back to round. Mintages exploded around 1960 as demand for coins grew with the economy and population. Output went from around 7 million in the late 1950s to over 78 million in 1964.
The 1955 is the low mintage date of the group at 5,355,028 and 1954 is also among the lower ones. Steel coins of 1953 and 1954 often show rust or flaking plating, so a clean piece is the goal. The 1953 strap varieties are worth checking with a magnifier: look at the queen's shoulder. Many early 1960s nickels survive in large numbers, so only well preserved coins draw interest. A magnet sticks to both pure nickel and plated steel coins, so it will not separate them.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 5 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 1953 |
| Circulation mintage | 16,635,552 |
| Composition | Plated steel |
| Weight | 4.54 g |
| Diameter | 21.2 mm |
| Shape | 12-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
Frequently asked questions
What are the strap and no strap 1953 nickels?
They are two versions of the queen's portrait. On the no strap coins her gown shows no shoulder strap. On the strap coins a strap crosses the shoulder. Both are genuine and both count in the 1953 mintage.
Is the 1953 nickel actually made of nickel?
No. Coins dated 1953 were struck in plated steel because of the demand for nickel during the Korean War. They stick to a magnet and can rust where the plating is worn. Pure nickel returned in 1955.
Mintage figures: Nickel (Canadian coin) (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.