Canadian Coins Large Cent Penny 1859 Queen Victoria
Bronze Cent of Queen Victoria of 1859
Obverse: Young head of Queen Victoria with a laurel wreath in her hair.
Lettering: CANADA, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA, translate to “Victoria, by grace of God Queen.”
Engraver: Leonard Charles Wyon.
Reverse: Denomination "ONE CENT", date and mint mark below, all in beaded circle, surrounded by wreath made of a vine branch and 16 maple leaves.
Lettering: ONE CENT 1859.
Engraver: Leonard Charles Wyon.
Edge: Plain.
Years: 1858-1859.
Value: 1 Cent.
Metal: Bronze (.950 Cu, .040 Sn, .010 Zn).
Weight: 4.54 g.
Diameter: 25.4 mm.
Thickness: 1.21 mm.
Shape: Round.
Mintage: 10,000,000
1858 - 421,000
1859 - 9,579,000
The young head Victorian coins struck in 1858 and 1859 are prior to Confederation so are actually British colonial coins issued under the Province of Canada. While nearly everyone, including myself, commonly refers to them as pennies, the proper denomination is a "cent" equal to the American cent and which is equal to the British 1/2 penny. When first introduced they were struck to a standard of 100 coins per pound of bronze rather than the British standard of 80 coins to the pound of bronze. This made the coins unpopular and at first poorly accepted by the public who were used to the British Standards.
The designs were by Leonard C. Wyon with the composition of the coins being 95% copper, 4% tin and 1% zinc weighing 4.54 grams at 25.4 mm (1 inch) diameter, with medal alignment.
History of Canadian Pennies
In the early 19th century, coinage in Britsh North America consisted of scarce English coinage combined with coinage from other countries such as Spain, Mexico and the U.S., as well as privately issued coins. But as trade with the United States increased, the British North American Colonies (provinces) were drawn to adopt the decimal system of their southern neighbor. It was clearly time for the colonies to have their own coinage issued. To that end, Sir Francis Hicks helped to introduce a series of acts, starting in 1850 that eventually led to the issuance of Canada's own currency - including a decimal-based penny! The 1858 and 1859 pennies featured a very youthful looking Queen Victoria with a laurel wreath in her hair. The design of these coins was done by Leonard C. Wyon.Half a million coins were minted in 1858 with ten million more minted in 1859. The Province of Canada's large cents of 1858 and 1859 depicting Queen Victoria were minted in such large numbers that they were not easily absorbed by the needs of commerce. This vast quantity of coins kept circulation so high that a new minting wasn't required until 1876 - almost 20 years later! These early coins were 1 inch in diameter, and are referred to as large pennies. In 1859, some dies were reused from 1858 and the date was overpunched to read 1859.
Canadian large cents were minted both in England and in Canada. Heaton mint issues of 1876-1882 and Birmingham issues of 1890 and 1907 have an "H" mark on the reverse under the date. London mint and Ottawa mint strikings have no letter.
These simple, yet beautiful, coins were designed by Leonard C. Wyon in 1858. The 1858 and 1859 issues portrayed a youthful Queen Victoria in a laurel wreath. Since she was actually 39, Wyon took some artistic license with his monarch’s appearance. The latin obverse legends, Victoria Dei Gratia Regina, translate to “Victoria, by grace of God Queen.” In 1876 Wyon developed a new, more age appropriate, obverse effigy. The Royal Mint used several variations of this second effigy until the Queen’s death in 1901.
The reverse design, also engraved by Wyon, depicts a maple wreath with sixteen leaves. The wreath surrounds the legend “ONE CENT” and the date. In some years, the Royal Mint contracted with Ralph Heaton & Sons to mint these coins. Coins minted by Heaton display their "H" mintmark on the reverse.
The provincial cents weighed 4.54 grams. Interestingly, at this weight 100 coins weighed one pound avoirdupois. Since the coins were one inch in diameter, they provided a handy measuring device for both length and weight. The planchets were formed from a bronze alloy nominally consisting of 95% copper, 4% tin, and 1% zinc. The Dominion cents of 1876 through 1901 were 25% thicker, weighing 5.67 grams (one eightieth of a pound avoirdupois).
Canadian Coins - Queen Victoria
Canadian Large Cent Penny 1859 Queen Victoria
Young Head 1858-1859
Matron Head 1876-1901