Canadian coin history begins with various tokens issued by local provincial banks, generally in the early-to-mid 1800s. The provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada each issued their own penny tokens until combining into a single province in 1841; other early coins and tokens of Canada include those of Magdalen Island from 1815, adapted real coins from Prince Edward Island, and tokens from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Eventually, other provinces like Newfoundland (now called Newfoundland and Labrador) and British Columbia issued their own coins. In addition, since the establishment of Canada as a confederation, several modern commemorative coins have been issued, including silver and gold proofs, for each of Canada’s provinces and territories. In addition to the areas mentioned above, see our coin sections for Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories for collectible Canadian coins as well as the occasional local token or medallion.
See also: Ancient Roman coins: History you can hold in your hand
In 1988, Calgary in Alberta hosted the Winter Olympics, and Vancouver in British Columbia followed suit in 2010. Several special coins and coin sets for collectors were issued to fund and commemorate these events. See the various listings in our subcategories to find some excellent Canadian coins for sale of all types and in all price ranges. The selection includes coins for sale from a large variety of sellers from around the internet, and is updated several times daily.
