are canadian silver dollars made of silver

[McDerek]

Well, that's a question with a bit of a split personality, much like a Canadian trying to decide between hockey and poutine. The answer is a classic "it depends on the year," so don't get too excited about that coin jar just yet.

If you're holding a Canadian silver dollar minted between 1935 and 1967, then congratulations! You've got the real deal. Those vintage beauties are indeed made of 80% silver, packing a respectable 0.60 troy ounces of the good stuff into each coin. These are the dollars that walked the walk, with actual precious metal content to back up their shiny appearance.

However, in 1968, Canada decided to change things up. The Royal Canadian Mint switched from silver to 100% nickel for its dollar coins. So, any Canadian dollar you find from 1968 onwards is merely silver in color, not in content. It's more of a silver imposter, a tribute act playing the hits but without the original star.

So, before you dream of melting down your collection for a silver throne, grab a magnifying glass and check the date. It's the crucial detail that separates a valuable piece of history from a coin that's just, well, a dollar.