Canada 5 Dollars Gold Coin 1914 King George V
Canadian Gold Reserve Coinage 1912-1914
Obverse: Portrait of King George V in profile wearing his ceremonial robe and royal crown.
Lettering: GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: REX ET IND:IMP:
Engraver: Edgar Bertram MacKennal.
Reverse: The inscription 'Canada' above a shield with the arms of the Dominion of Canada, a wreath of maple leaves, the year of issue, and the face value FIVE DOLLARS. The Canada coats of arms as given by Queen Victoria on May 26, 1868. They lie on top of 2 crossed maple branches. The shield is split in 4 parts, showing the coats of arms of the 4 provinces that created the Canada
- Ontario: 3 maple leaves below the St-George cross
- Quebec: 2 lilies at the top, a lion in the center and 3 maple leaves at the bottom
- New-Brunswick: an ancient galion with a lion above
- Nova Scotia: From top to bottom, 2 thistles, a salmon and another thistle
Lettering: CANADA 1914 FIVE DOLLARS.
Engraver: W.H.J. Blakemore.
Edge: Milled.
Years: 1912-1914.
Value: 5 Dollars.
Composition: 90% Gold; 10% Copper.
Net Weight: .242 ounce pure gold.
Weight: 8.3592 grams.
Diameter: 21.59 millimeters.
Thickness: 1.82 mm.
Shape: Round.
During the first 40 years of its existence, the Dominion of Canada had no gold coinage of its own although various foreign gold coins, notably British sovereigns and several United States denominations, were used. Late in the reign of Edward VII the government decided Canada should have its own gold coinage, and the initial steps for the production of $2 1/2, $5, $10 and $20 pieces were taken. George V, however, was on the British throne by 1912 when the first Canadian gold coins were actually produced for circulation. From 1912 to 1914, coins were produced and issued, but only in the $5 and $10 denominations.
Many of these coins were held in the government's gold reserve and did not circulate, as the public need for them proved to be slight. Eventually it was decided that gold bars were a more convenient form in which to hold government gold stocks, and since 1914 no gold coins have been struck for circulation. The attractive designs for the reverses of the 1912-14 coins feature the coat of arms of the Dominion, containing the arms of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, which was in use from Confederation until 1921. The arms are surrounded by maple leaves.
Canadian Coins - King George V
Canadian Gold Reserve 5 Dollars Gold Coin 1914 King George V