Obverse: identify the front

The representative 1965 obverse shows Elizabeth II facing right, wearing a tiara, with the royal legend around the rim. Compare the portrait and legends with both photographs. This guide deliberately uses the 1965–1966 design group rather than applying one portrait to every Canadian dollar.

Reverse: identify the back

The canoe scene shows a voyageur and an Indigenous guide, with CANADA above and DOLLAR below. The pictured reverse is dated 1965. A similar canoe appears on later nickel coins, making the year and physical specifications essential identification clues.

History and purpose

The Royal Canadian Mint identifies Emanuel Hahn as the Voyageur reverse designer. Its circulation history lists multiple periods using the canoe design and intervening commemorative designs. This record isolates the 1965–1966 silver issues so design continuity does not conceal the later metal change.

How to identify this variant

Check CANADA, DOLLAR, the canoe reverse, the Elizabeth II portrait and the year. Compare the nominal 36.06 mm diameter and 23.3 g mass with a genuine silver issue. A 1968-or-later canoe dollar must not be entered under this silver profile simply because its reverse looks familiar.

Understanding its metal content

Multiply nominal gross mass by .800 to obtain 18.64 g fine silver, then divide by 31.1034768 to convert to troy ounces. The result is approximately 0.59929 troy oz per coin. Neither the Canadian face value nor the coin’s entire 23.3 g mass is its fine-silver content.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

This reviewed profile covers 1965 and 1966. It does not assert that every Canadian dollar in the wider 1935–1967 silver era has the same portrait or reverse. Date-specific bead, numeral and other collector varieties require separate examination; the library does not assign a variety from this representative image.

Melt value versus collector value

Metal content is one component of evaluation. Date, condition and identifiable varieties may warrant collector assessment before coins are grouped for sale. Preserve original surfaces and packaging. The calculated silver weight does not establish a collectible premium or a buyer’s offer.

Authenticity and condition

Use clear photographs of both sides, a scale and a diameter measurement as initial checks. A familiar canoe image alone cannot distinguish silver from later nickel or establish genuineness. Avoid destructive testing or cleaning; ask for review if the date, dimensions or design disagree.

Selling this coin

Describe these as 1965–1966 Canadian silver Voyageur dollars, and list quantities by year where possible. Include photographs of representative pieces and unusual details. Use the existing appraisal form for evaluation instead of treating a calculator result as an accepted purchase offer.

Sources and calculation methodology

Specifications and the silver-to-nickel distinction are taken from the Royal Canadian Mint’s circulation-dollar reference. Fine content uses nominal gross grams and .800 fineness. The 1965 photo pair by Windrain has been separated into sides and resized, with its CC BY-SA 4.0 attribution retained.

Common questions

References

• Royal Canadian Mint: circulation dollar history and specifications — identity; weight 23.3 g; fineness .800; diameter 36.06 mm; thickness 2.84 mm; dates 1965–1966 Voyageur; design canoe; nickel change in 1968 (checked 2026-10-09)

Issue-year references

• Royal Canadian Mint: circulation dollar history and specifications

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-09. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

Related coins

Morgan Silver Dollar — Original 90% Silver

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

United States • 90% silver, 10% copper

Issue years: 1878–1904, 1921

Fine silver: 0.773451 troy oz

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