What is up with Canada? Why do they have so many coin variations?

[The_EE]

Today I ended up getting 3 dimes, 3 nickels ( first nickels ever ) and 2 Quarters ( first ever ). I figure, since the coin counters reject these I might as well keep them instead of paying for the bank to get rid of them. I am making a text document with the years and everything and i get to 2000 on the Quarters and each year from 2000 to 2012 has 5-15 different variations.

Really Canada, is it needed? Must you make my life hell?

/rant

[sagittarius98]

Canada always likes to make many commemoratives. I like commemoratives, however, I think some of Canada's commemoratives are commemorating small things that are not worth a commemorative (pride, wisdom, etc.).

[waseeker]

why are their commemorative quarters any different than our state quarter program. which has been expanded greatly?

[bartholomewroberts]

Being from Canada, I can speak with, if not authority, at least a vested interest.

In 1967, we had commemorative coins.... fair enough. When they did the remembrance day one the quarter and the 'loonie', I felt that was great. But the multiplicity of coins that we have now is/are ridiculous. I long for the days of the penny [maple leaf], nickel [beaver], dime [bluenose sailboat] and quarter [caribou].

[Canadian hunter]

Well, from my point of view, first of all the topic is to be renamed to : Why there are so many commemorative issues in Canadian coinage?
Variations refers more to coin errors/varieties.
Secondly, the amount of commemorative coins found in circulation is huge. The trend is: more modern, more commemorative coins. Earliest commemorative issues included the Centennial set (Dove, Rabbit, Mackerel, Cougar, Wolf and Goose) and the RCMP anniversary. Today, there are far more comm. coins than the regular mintage. Although it is kind of neat to see the coloured Vimy Ridge or Breast Cancer Fundraising quarters, it starts to feel like the next year there are going to be more and more comm. than regular. That being said, it's just sad to see the Olympic quarters in a circulated, beaten condition. Unlike the regular coinage, the comm. ones are more valued for me in UNC state. Just a couple of personal thoughts.

[sagittarius98]

A question for Canadian Hunter:

How common is the rabbit centennial in circulation? I have been to Canada before and got a few doves, but never a rabbit. I would not expect the others as they are silver (I do have the cougar and goose in my collection).

[Canadian hunter]

A question for Canadian Hunter:

How common is the rabbit centennial in circulation? I have been to Canada before and got a few doves, but never a rabbit. I would not expect the others as they are silver (I do have the cougar and goose in my collection).

Doves cents are the most common in that set. The rabbit nickel is not scarce, but is somewhat hard to find. Usually 2 per box of nickels. There aren't many in circulation, due to its design. Many people keep rabbit nickels, because they look prettier and different. Thus most of my 1967 nickels found in CRH are in AU condition, sometimes even in mintstate condition.
Next time, when visiting Canada, buy 4 boxes of nickels. I am sure you will find at least one 1967 nickel.
As for dimes and quarters, I found about 1 roll of mackerel dimes and a couple of cougar quarters. You can read my post in CRH section of treasurenet.com Here is the link: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=441215.0

[ivan salis]

in 2000 canada started pulling all the "good"metal in their coins out --as pre 2000 coins "come in" to banks , they are sorted and pre 2000 coins are not returned for "public use" instead they are sent to the govt for melting to yeild their "good" metal content which the canadian govt then sells for profiet * the "replacement" coins sent from the govt mints to the banks for "public issue"are made of poor quality junk metal --to get the public to "like" these new POS coins -they make a lot of "special" coins * see the pretty designs --ooohhh aaaahhh

canada has always had a habit of making "special" coins --silver ones normally in the old days .

[Mzjavert]

Being from Canada, I can speak with, if not authority, at least a vested interest.

In 1967, we had commemorative coins.... fair enough. When they did the remembrance day one the quarter and the 'loonie', I felt that was great. But the multiplicity of coins that we have now is/are ridiculous. I long for the days of the penny [maple leaf], nickel [beaver], dime [bluenose sailboat] and quarter [caribou].

I adore the maple leaf.

With all those commenoratives I'm trying to picture the tv coin shows in Canada...those guys must go crazy trying to describe how "rare" and "special" and "collectable" all the new coins are. Bring on the popcorn.