How to Identify the Canadian 50 Cents
A collector's guide to recognizing the George VI Canadian silver 50-cent piece by its portrait, legend, arms, size, and metal.
Read the full Canadian 50 Cents encyclopedia entry →
Begin with the obverse portrait and legend. This type shows a bare-headed King George VI facing left, ringed by GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX. Read the legend carefully: if it includes ET IND:IMP: the coin dates to 1937-1947, while the shorter GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX seen here places it in the 1948-1952 window. A portrait of a bare-headed queen instead of a king means you are looking at a later Elizabeth II issue, not this type.
Turn the coin to confirm the reverse. The George VI 50-cent piece carries the Canadian coat of arms, a crowned heraldic shield, with CANADA and FIFTY CENTS in the surrounding legend and the date below. This is a common point of confusion: the half-dollar does not use a maple-leaf or animal reverse, so a maple, voyageur, or wildlife design indicates a different denomination or era.
Use size and metal as a physical test. A genuine coin is 80% silver, about 29.7 mm in diameter and roughly 11.66 grams. It should feel dense and ring brightly, and it is not magnetic. A coin that is lightweight, undersized, or attracted to a magnet is either a different modern issue or a fake.
Do not look for a mint mark. Royal Canadian Mint coins of this period were struck in Ottawa without a mint letter, so the absence of one is normal. Focus authentication instead on correct weight, diameter, silver appearance, and sharp, well-formed lettering. For scarce dates or higher-grade coins, weak or mushy detail, edge seams, incorrect weight, or an impossible date-and-portrait combination are warning signs, and third-party grading is worthwhile.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a George VI 50-cent piece from an Elizabeth II one?
Check the portrait and legend. George VI is a bare-headed king with GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX; Elizabeth II coins show a queen and read ELIZABETH II. The size and silver content are otherwise similar for the silver era.
What should a genuine Canadian silver 50 Cents weigh?
About 11.66 grams at roughly 29.7 mm across, struck in 80% silver. A coin that is noticeably light, undersized, or magnetic is not an authentic silver half-dollar of this type.
The legend has no 'Emperor of India' title. Does that matter?
Yes, it helps date the coin. The shorter GEORGIVS VI DEI GRATIA REX legend was used from 1948 to 1952; earlier George VI coins added ET IND:IMP: before India's independence.
Is a worn example still worth keeping?
Yes. Even a heavily circulated coin holds the value of its roughly 0.30 troy ounce of silver, and scarcer dates or higher grades can be worth a meaningful premium above melt.