1888 CANADA 5 CENTS – VICTORIA
£30.00
An 1888 Canadian 5‑cent piece struck in .925 sterling silver, featuring the laureate portrait of Queen Victoria with the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA, and the classic crowned maple‑leaf wreath reverse. A desirable late‑19th‑century Canadian silver issue.
1 in stock
The 1888 Canada 5 Cents belongs to the long‑running Victorian silver series minted between 1858 and 1901. Struck in .925 sterling silver, this small but historically significant coin features the elegant laureate portrait of Queen Victoria and the iconic crowned maple‑leaf wreath reverse – a design that defined Canadian silver coinage for decades.
Obverse
Laureate portrait of Queen Victoria facing left, with the Latin legend: VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA (Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen). This portrait was used on Canadian silver denominations throughout the Victorian era.
Reverse
A crowned wreath of maple leaves encircling the denomination 5 CENTS, with CANADA above and the date 1888 below. The Imperial Crown sits prominently above the wreath, symbolising Canada’s status within the British Empire.
Historical Notes
- Struck in sterling silver (.925) — later reduced to .800 silver in 1920.
- Part of the Victorian small‑silver series (5c, 10c, 25c, 50c).
- Highly collectable due to age, fineness, and classic crowned‑wreath design.
- Represents Canada’s early national coinage period following Confederation (1867).
Specifications
- Country: Canada
- Denomination: 5 Cents
- Year: 1888
- Monarch: Victoria
- Metal: .925 Silver
- Weight: 1.16 g
- Diameter: 15.5 mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Obverse: Laureate bust of Queen Victoria left
- Obverse Legend: VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA
- Reverse: Crowned maple‑leaf wreath
- Mintage: 1,200,000
- Designer: Leonard C. Wyon
- Classification: Victorian Canadian silver
- Catalogue References: KM: 2, Charlton: 5¢‑1888
SEO Tags: Canada, 5 cents, 1888, Victoria, .925 silver, Crowned maple‑leaf wreath, Victorian coinage, Canadian silver, Commonwealth coinage, Numismatics
