1942 – 5 Cents Canada – Tombac

The 1942 Canadian 5 cents coin made of tombac was produced during World War II, when nickel was reserved for wartime production, resulting in a temporary switch to an alloy called tombac (composed mainly of copper and zinc). To help distinguish it from the similarly colored 1-cent coin, the tombac 5-cent coins featured a unique dodecagonal (12-sided) shape and a bright yellow-bronze appearance, with the reverse showing a beaver on a log and the obverse displaying King George VI. The coin was non-magnetic, weighed 4.54 grams, had a diameter of 21.3 mm, and a plain edge, with a total mintage of approximately 3.4 million pieces. This distinctive coin reflected Canadian ingenuity in response to wartime resource constraints and was highly recognizable in circulation at the time.