|
By Bret Evans
Soon after our calendars switched to 2010, collectors discovered a second variety of 2009-dated 1-cent coins, a zinc-cored version with the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) logo.
All three collector reports came to Canadian Coin News the first week in January and involved recent finds in pocket change. Up until the discovery, the only known 2009 cents were struck on plated-steel blanks. Both types have the "circle M" RCM logo, but only the steel coins are attracted to a magnet.
The metallic content of Canadian coins is regulated under the Currency Act. In almost all cases, the legislation permits one or more metallic compositions for circulating Canadian coins. Changes to designs and compositions of Canadian coins require approval of the Governor General in Council, but not the House of Commons.
In an interview with Canadian Coin News, RCM official Alex Reeves said it is not uncommon for the Mint to change compositions. He pointed out that since 1997, the Mint has had the authority to strike on copper, zinc-plated, or steel-plated blanks.
At that time, then-RCM spokesman Pierre Moran told Canadian Coin News that the RCM would shift production between different metallic compositions, and would not announce any production changes.
Since 1997, the Mint has not struck any copper Canadian 1-cent coins, but has struck coins with both steel and zinc cores every year.
The plated-steel blanks are produced in Canada and plated at the RCM's Winnipeg facility. The plated-zinc blanks are produced by Jardin Industries in Georgia, USA, the same firm that supplies 1-cent blanks to the United States Mint.
Reeves would not disclose when the shift to zinc cores was made, or how many of the coins were produced. Typically, the RCM has only released 1-cent mintages sorted by metal in the annual report. The 2008 annual report is expected to be released next month, while the 2009 annual report is not expected to be released until after April.
It appears that the switch to zinc blanks occurred late in 2009 and continued into the new year. On Jan. 16, Canadian Coin News received a 2010-dated 1-cent coin struck on a plated-zinc blank.
February 16 to March 1, 2010 issue of Canadian Coin News
| 
