Material: Nickel (100%)
Diameter: 21.21 mm
Weight: 4.54 g
Mint: Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa (no mintmark)
Obverse: This numismatic artifact is a distinct twelve-sided Canadian 5 cents coin struck in chromium-plated steel. The reverse face features a beautifully detailed beaver resting upon a large river log inside its natural aquatic habitat, a legendary design created by G.E. Kruger-Gray. Positioned above the animal is the denomination "5 CENTS," flanked on the left and right by stylized maple leaves. The bottom margin anchors the design with the country name "CANADA" positioned directly above the date "1953." The fields display a worn, bright metallic silver patina marked by fine hairline circulation scratches distributed across the raised details and textured fields.
Reverse: Beaver on rock facing left, 5 CENTS above, CANADA 1953 below. Design by G.E. Kruger Gray.
Edge: Smooth
Circa: 1953
Condition: Fine+
Notes:
This landmark coronation year coin is highly famous among numismatists for possessing two major obverse varieties, known as the "No Shoulder Fold" (NSF) and "Shoulder Fold" (SF). The original Mary Gillick portrait of the young Queen featured a deep relief that caused striking problems, failing to show the fold of her dress gown on the shoulder; a modified die was introduced later in 1953 to correct this error.
In addition to the portrait styles, collectors actively inspect the distance of the maple leaves relative to the rim on the reverse side. The combination of these obverse and reverse dies created four distinct versions, with the "Shoulder Fold, Far Leaf" variation standing as a rare and highly valuable "mule" printing error.