1977 – 1 Cent Canada

The 1977 Canadian 1 cent coin is a bronze penny composed of 98% copper, 0.5% tin, and 1.5% zinc, weighing 3.24 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm and a plain, smooth edge. The obverse features a young bust of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a tiara, designed by Arnold Machin, while the reverse depicts two maple leaves on a single twig, designed by G. E. Kruger-Gray, with the inscription “1 CENT 1977 CANADA.” Approximately 453 million of these coins were minted in 1977 by the Royal Canadian Mint. Circulated coins typically show signs of wear, and their melt value is around 3.5 cents CAD as of 2025, with collector values varying based on condition and grade from a few cents up to over two dollars for mint state coins. This coin is known as part of the “heavy” type pennies due to its high copper content compared to later zinc pennies.