Silver Canadian Maple Leaf 1 Ounce

The story of this collector favorite:

Paralleling its gold counterpart in design elements and quality, the silver Canadian Maple Leaf is a strikingly well executed coin. The detail and beauty of the design are immediately apparent. The coin is one ounce of .9999 fine silver, and is the official silver bullion coin of Canada.

Over Three Decades of Illustrious Production

The silver Canadian maple leaf coin is a legal tender coin for Canada, minted by the Royal Canadian Mint and possessing an official value of $C5. It’s true value is of course much higher, as determined by its silver content. 

The mint began producing Silver Maple Leafs in 1988, and has done so continuously since then. The result has been one of the highest-selling silver bullion coins in the world.

A Sovereign and a Silver Maple Leaf

Queen Elizabeth II

As in the Gold Maple Leaf coin, the obverse of the Silver Maple Leaf features the right profile of Queen Elizabeth, wearing pearls and very atypically crownless. Her name is located above her profile, and the words “5 DOLLARS” and the year of mintage are located on the lower arc of the coin. On coins from 2014 onward, fine radial lines form a background for the sculpted portrait.

Maple Leaf

Canada’s ubiquitous and well-loved national symbol graces the reverse of the coin. Fine radial lines form the background on this side, too, from 2014 onward. The word “CANADA” is arced across the top of the coin. The number 9999 occurs twice—at the three and nine o’clock positions—to indicate the coin’s purity (meaning the coin is 99.99% pure silver). The words “FINE SILVER 1 OZ ARGENT PUR” are settled on the bottom arc of the coin (“argent pur” means “pure silver” in French—the language of Canadian province Quebec). A laser-engraved mark for security is also located to the right of the maple leaf’s stem.

Canadian Silver Maple Leaf

Three sculptures of Queen Elizabeth have been used during the coin’s mintage.

• The initial sculpture was by Arnold Machin. It was used from 1988 to 1989.
• Dora de Pédery-Hunt sculpted the second portrait, in use from 1990 to 2003.
• Susanna Blunt created the third sculpture, in use since 2004.

Security features were introduced in 2014, including radial lines on both sides and a laser engraving on the reverse.

A Popular Design from a Popular Country

Canada is an exceptionally well-regarded country. Its mint is similarly esteemed. And the design of the Silver Canadian Maple Leaf coin completes the picture. Put the three together and you have a recipe for excellence, and that is how the coin is regarded—hence its immense popularity. 

As a silver bullion play, you get unmatched provenance, worldwide recognition, and a very high level of purity. It doesn’t get any better than that.