Ah, the 1972 Canadian "Voyageur" dollar! A classic piece of North American numismatics. Asking what it's worth is a bit like asking "how long is a piece of string?" The answer really, truly depends on which string you're holding.
First, let's establish a baseline. Every 1972 Canadian silver dollar is made of 50% silver. This means it has a "melt value"—a base price below which it will almost never fall, dictated by the current price of silver. Think of this as the coin's financial floor. Any value above that is pure numismatic bonus points for being special.
Now, for the fun part. As the context from Coins and Canada helpfully points out, these dollars weren't all created equal. They came in several finishes, including Brilliant Uncirculated, Proof-like, and Specimen. A common, circulated coin that might have bought a coffee and a donut back in the day is worth much less than a pristine, mirror-finished version that was carefully sealed away by a collector.
So, while the provided search results don't give us the exact dollar amounts on their homepages, they point us in the right direction. A standard, well-traveled 1972 dollar will typically be worth its silver content, which usually hovers in the $10 to $12 range. However, a brilliant uncirculated version could fetch $15 to $20, and a top-grade collector's edition could be worth even more to the right buyer.
To find your coin's true worth, you have to judge its condition. Is it scratched and dull, or does it shine like it was just minted yesterday? The difference could be the price of a movie ticket.
