1990 – 5 Cents Canada – Bare Belly

The Canadian 5 cents coin from 1990 with the “bare belly” variety is a cupro-nickel issue featuring the iconic beaver on a log designed by G. E. Kruger-Gray, and a bust of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Dora de Pédery-Hunt on the obverse. During production, a die polishing error led to the removal of most or all the fur detail from the beaver’s belly, creating coins with a noticeably smooth underbelly—these are known as the “bare belly” nickels and are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity. The coins weigh 4.6 grams, have a diameter of 21.2 mm, and are non-magnetic with a plain edge, minted by the Royal Canadian Mint as part of the regular circulation issue but distinguishable by the unusual design feature stemming from the minting error.