Most Valuable Canadian Dimes

The Canadian ten-cent piece has been struck continuously since 1858, making it one of the longest-running denominations in Canadian numismatics. Over nearly 170 years, the dime has carried the portraits of six monarchs and two iconic reverse designs — the heraldic crown and wreath motif of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and Emanuel Hahn's celebrated Bluenose schooner that has graced the coin since 1937.

For collectors, the dime series combines genuine rarity with affordability. Common dates from the silver era trade for little more than their melt value, while key dates can reach five and even six figures. The small size of the coin means that condition is everything — well-preserved examples of scarce dates command enormous premiums over their worn counterparts.

This guide covers every major key date, important variety, and price benchmark in the Canadian dime series, with mintage figures and market data sourced from the Charlton Standard Catalogue and Coins and Canada.

Physical Specifications by Era

The Canadian dime has undergone several composition changes, transitioning from sterling silver to base metal over the course of the 20th century. Knowing the composition era is essential for calculating silver melt values and authenticating coins.

Era	Composition	Weight	Diameter
1858	Sterling .925 silver	2.32g	18.0mm
1870–1919	Sterling .925 silver	2.32g	18.03mm
1920–1966	80% silver	2.33g	18.03mm
1967	Mixed 80%/50% silver	2.33g	18.03mm
1968 (silver)	50% silver	2.33g	18.03mm
1968–2000	Pure nickel	2.07g	18.03mm
2001–present	Copper-plated steel	1.75g	18.03mm

The critical transition for collectors came in 1968, when the Royal Canadian Mint moved away from silver. That year saw both silver (50%) and nickel versions produced — the silver strikes came from the Philadelphia Mint (identifiable by a slightly different texture) while nickel strikes came from Ottawa. From 2001, the planchet shifted again to copper-plated steel, making modern dimes magnetic.

The Key Dates

1889 — The King of Canadian Dimes

The 1889 dime holds the distinction of being the most valuable regular-issue Canadian ten-cent piece, despite a mintage of 600,000 that is far from the lowest in the series. The extreme premium this date commands — $876 in Good condition, $43,800 in MS-63 — suggests that an extraordinary proportion of the original mintage was melted or lost. Whether through bulk melting of silver coinage, heavy commercial use, or some combination of both, very few examples survived in any grade.

The 1889 dime is the coin that separates a casual Victoria ten-cent collection from a serious one. Even heavily worn specimens with barely legible details are eagerly sought by collectors. In uncirculated grades, the coin is a trophy piece that rarely appears at auction.

Grade	G-4	VG-8	VF-20	EF-40	MS-63
1889	$876	$1,640	$3,740	$8,950	$43,800

1893 Round Top 3 — The Rarest Victoria Variety

The 1893 dime exists in two major date varieties: the common Flat Top 3 and the rare Round Top 3. The distinction lies in the shape of the top curve of the digit 3 in the date. On the Flat Top variety, the upper stroke of the 3 ends in a flat, horizontal line. On the Round Top variety, it curves fully into a smooth, rounded arc.

The Round Top 3 variety is further divided by obverse die. The Obverse 6 Round Top 3 is the better-known of the two, with values reaching $883 in G-4 and $49,000 in MS-63 — making it the single highest-priced Canadian dime by catalogue value. The Obverse 5 Round Top 3 is even rarer in absolute terms but has only been found in low grades, with G-4 specimens valued at $2,450.

Identifying the Round Top 3 requires careful examination under magnification. A 10x loupe is the minimum; many experienced collectors prefer 20x or higher. For detailed guidance on examining die varieties, see our errors and varieties guide.

Variant	G-4	VG-8	VF-20	MS-60	MS-63
Flat Top 3 (common)	$12	$27	$99	$1,020	$3,310
Obv#6 Round Top 3	$883	$1,880	$5,130	$24,300	$49,000
Obv#5 Round Top 3	$2,450	—	—	—	—

1884 — Lowest Victoria-Era Mintage

With a mintage of just 150,000, the 1884 dime has the lowest production figure of any Victoria-era ten-cent piece. In the early 1880s, economic conditions suppressed demand for new coinage, and the Mint struck only what was needed for commerce. The result is a coin that is genuinely scarce in all grades.

In G-4 condition, the 1884 dime sells for $199 — a substantial premium over more common Victoria dates. In MS-63, authenticated examples have reached $18,500. The low mintage and high demand make this a cornerstone date for any serious dime collection.

Grade	G-4	VG-8	VF-20	EF-40	MS-63
1884	$199	$396	$992	$2,690	$18,500

1913 Broad Leaves — An Extremely Scarce George V Variety

The 1913 dime was produced with two reverse varieties that differ in the size and shape of the maple leaves flanking the denomination. The Small Leaves variety is the common type. The Broad Leaves variety, with noticeably wider and more detailed leaf veins, is extremely scarce and commands dramatic premiums.

The Broad Leaves variety has been found in grades from VG-8 through MS-64, but every grade level is genuinely rare. In VG-8 it sells for $165, climbing to $26,600 in MS-63 and $33,500 in MS-64. The Small Leaves version, by contrast, is a common coin worth $8 in VG-8.

Variant	VG-8	F-12	VF-20	MS-63	MS-64
Small Leaves (common)	$8	$22	$72	$1,200	—
Broad Leaves	$165	$485	$1,320	$26,600	$33,500

1969 Large Date — Canada's Rarest Modern Dime

The 1969 Large Date dime is one of the most valuable modern Canadian coins of any denomination. In 1969, the Mint used two date sizes: the common Small Date (from a mintage of 55,833,929) and an extremely scarce Large Date with a noticeably bolder, larger font. The exact number of Large Date specimens is unknown, but it is believed to be very small.

In F-12 condition, the 1969 Large Date dime has sold for $11,300 CAD. In AU-50, specimens have reached $21,200. These are remarkable prices for a coin that was in active circulation within living memory, and the 1969 Large Date is frequently cited alongside the 1936 Dot coins as one of the great Canadian numismatic rarities of the 20th century.

Identifying the Large Date requires side-by-side comparison. The digits on the Large Date variety are taller and slightly wider than on the Small Date. A reference image or known example is essential for confident attribution.

Variant	F-12	VF-20	AU-50
Small Date (common)	$0.20	$0.30	$0.75
Large Date	$11,300	$14,800	$21,200

1936 Dot — A Six-Figure Rarity

When King George V died in January 1936, the Royal Canadian Mint faced the same dilemma across all denominations: new dies bearing the next monarch's portrait were not yet ready. To distinguish coins struck in early 1937 from the regular 1936 production, a small dot was placed below the date on a limited number of pieces. For the ten-cent denomination, only 409 were officially struck.

Today, just 4–5 confirmed specimens of the 1936 Dot dime are known to exist. This is a six-figure coin when it appears at auction, placing it among the most valuable Canadian coins of any denomination alongside the 1936 Dot cent and 1911 silver dollar. The regular 1936 dime (mintage 2,460,871) is a common .800 silver coin worth a few dollars; the 1936 Dot is in an entirely different class.

1875 H — A Genuinely Scarce Early Date

The "H" mint mark on this coin indicates it was struck at the Heaton Mint in Birmingham, England, which supplemented the Royal Mint's production of Canadian coinage in the 19th century. The 1875 H dime is one of the scarcest dates in the early Canadian dime series, with a relatively low survival rate for its era.

In G-4 condition, the 1875 H dime sells for $308. Values climb steeply through the grade scale, reaching $19,600 in MS-63. Like many early Canadian silver coins, the 1875 H is rarely encountered above EF-40, making any uncirculated example a significant find.

Grade	G-4	VG-8	VF-20	EF-40	MS-63
1875 H	$308	$616	$1,540	$3,740	$19,600

1948 — Key Date of the George VI Era

The 1948 dime has the lowest mintage of any George VI ten-cent piece at 422,741. This was a transitional year: the Royal Cypher on the reverse was being modified to remove "IND IMP" (Emperor of India) following Indian independence in 1947. The modified dies were not ready until partway through 1948, resulting in limited production.

Despite its low mintage, the 1948 dime is not prohibitively expensive in circulated grades. A VF-20 example sells for approximately $13.70 CAD, making it an accessible key date for new collectors. However, the coin becomes genuinely scarce in higher grades — MS-65 specimens are valued at $723.

Grade	VF-20	EF-40	MS-60	MS-63	MS-65
1948	$13.70	$22.40	$56	$155	$723

Other Notable Dates

Beyond the marquee key dates, several other years offer strong collector interest and meaningful premiums over common dates:

Year	Mintage	VF-20	Notes
1883 H	300,000	$376	Scarce Heaton Mint issue
1887	350,000	$311	Low mintage Victoria date
1885 Obv#4	400,000	$352	Scarce obverse die variety
1890 H	450,000	$134	Last Heaton Mint dime of the 1890s
1903 No H	500,000	$95.20	Ottawa Mint issue without H mark
1915	688,057	$53.10	Low WWI-era mintage
1934	409,067	$26.10	Depression-era low mintage
1935	384,056	$27.20	Lowest mintage of the George V era
1858 8/5 overdate	—	—	$1,100 in G-4; date punched over an earlier digit

The Bluenose Design

In 1937, sculptor Emanuel Hahn's reverse design depicting the schooner Bluenose replaced the Victorian-era wreath and crown motif on the Canadian dime. The Bluenose — a fishing and racing schooner built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in 1921 — was already a national icon, having won the International Fishermen's Trophy five consecutive times and never lost a race in her career.

Hahn's design has proven remarkably enduring. With minor modifications to accommodate new royal portraits and the addition of the RCM logo mark in 2006, the Bluenose has appeared on the Canadian dime for nearly 90 years. It is one of the most recognized coin designs in the world, and the ship itself was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

The pre-Bluenose dimes (1858–1936) feature a wreath of maple leaves surrounding the denomination on the reverse, with the reigning monarch's portrait on the obverse. While less iconic than the Bluenose, these earlier designs are prized by collectors for their Victorian elegance and the challenge of assembling a complete set across multiple monarchs and mint marks.

Silver Content & Melt Value

Pre-1968 Canadian dimes contain meaningful amounts of silver. The silver content varies by era, and knowing the exact silver weight is essential for calculating melt values. For a comprehensive breakdown of silver content across all Canadian denominations, see our silver coin guide.

Era	Fineness	Silver Content (ozt)
1858–1919 (Sterling)	.925	0.069 ozt
1920–1967 (80% silver)	.800	0.060 ozt
1967–1968 (50% silver)	.500	0.0375 ozt

At any given silver spot price, the melt value of a sterling dime is roughly 15% higher than an 80% silver dime, and nearly double that of a 50% silver piece. Common-date silver dimes from the 1920–1966 period frequently trade at or near their melt value in lower circulated grades, making them an affordable way to accumulate physical silver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Royal Canadian Mint — Official mintage figures, specifications, and production history
• Coins and Canada — Market pricing data (CAD), variety catalog, and error documentation
• Numista — World coin catalog with technical specifications
• Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins — Annual variety and pricing reference

Guide compiled for educational purposes by Canadian Coin Heads. All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD) sourced from Coins and Canada and Charlton Standard Catalogue market data. Prices reflect approximate market values and can vary significantly with condition, certification, and demand. This is not financial advice.