Ah, a treasure hunter, are we? You've come to the right place. Unearthing silver in Canadian pocket change is a bit like a historical scavenger hunt, with the magic cut-off dates being the treasured map.
For the really good stuff, you need a time machine set for any year before 1920. Back in those glory days, Canadian dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and even those tiny 5-cent pieces were made of 92.5% sterling silver. That's the fancy, top-shelf silver we all dream of finding in a dusty old coin jar.
From 1920 all the way to 1966, Canada was still feeling generous, but a little less so. Dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and the big silver dollars of this era contain a very respectable 80% silver. This was the long, stable silver period before things got complicated.
Then came the great Canadian silver identity crisis of 1967 and 1968. In 1967, the silver content for dimes and quarters was slashed to 50%, though the half-dollars and dollars held on at 80%. Then, 1968 became a numismatic lottery. Dimes and quarters were produced in both 50% silver and 99% nickel. How do you tell the difference? Get a magnet! Silver is not magnetic, so if your 1968 coin snaps to a magnet, you've got yourself a nickel. If it plays hard to get, congratulations, you've found silver!
After mid-1968, the silver party for circulating coins was officially over. The Royal Canadian Mint switched to nickel and other base metals for its coinage. Of course, the Mint still produces beautiful pure silver coins for collectors today, like the famous Maple Leaf, but you won't get one of those back as change for your coffee.
