- (month unknown)
- Joseph LeRoux publishes the second edition of the book The Canadian Coin Cabinet. [359.183] [442.18]
1894
-
- Pierre Napoleon Breton publishes the book Illustrated History of Coins and Tokens Relating to Canada. [336.12] [338.98] [359.183] [363.371] [378.165] ("Related" [350.37])
- The government returns $14,518 worth of 20c pieces to England, to be melted. [350.37]
1897
-
- BC Senator McInnes proposes for the third time a mint in Canada. The shipping of unrefined gold from the Yukon gold fields to the United States leads to a proposal to establish a branch of the Royal Mint in British Columbia. The motion is not passed. [172.58] [693.6]
1899
- February
- The Minister of Finance corresponds with the Royal Mint to obtain information on the subject of establishing a mint in Canada. [336.36]
- May 15
- W.W.B. McInnes, son of T.R. McInnes, proposes to the House of Commons that a mint be established in Canada. After lengthy and careful attention, the scheme is turned down. [172.58] [336.36] [1110.46]
- (month unknown)
- The government returns $18,895 worth of obsolete silver coins including 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces, to be melted. [350.38]
1900
- October
- Minister of Finance William Fielding announces that the government has successfully negotiated with the British government to allow the establishment of a branch mint in Canada. [172.63] [336.36]
1901
- May 2
- Finance Minister Fielding gives notice in the House of Commons of a resolution to establish a branch of the Royal Mint in Canada. The plan includes a $75,000 annuity for maintenance of the facility. [2] [336.36] [592.4] [686.13] [693.6]
- May 21
- The Ottawa Mint Act is introduced in parliament. [350.38] [1012.84]
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- May
- The Canadian Parliament passes the Ottawa Mint Act permitting Canada to coin her own sovereigns and circulating coinage. The act provides for $75,000 per year for operating the mint. [85] [172.65]
- May 23
- The Ottawa Mint Act receives Royal Assent, with the signing of the Governor General of Canada. [2] [175.46] [257] [336.37] [384.14] [518.4] [592.4] [693.6] [1008.60]
1902
- February
- Plans for the new mint building are sent to London for approval. [336.37]
- April
- Due to London's extensive suggested changes to the plans for the new mint building, the Minister of Finance orders new plans to be drawn. [336.37]
- (month unknown)
- The Minister of Public Works begins soliciting bids for the construction of the mint building. [406.23]
1905
- June
- Construction begins on a mint building in Ottawa. [2] [85] [172.68] [336.37] [350.38] [358.291] [364.396] [375.5] [518.4]
1906
-
- The government returns to the Royal Mint $7,461 worth of obsolete silver coins including 5c, 10c, and 20c pieces, to be melted. [350.38]
- September
- Mr. Arthur H.W. Cleave begins work as the Superintendent of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [172.68]
1907
- June
- Dr. James Bonar is appointed first Deputy Master of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [172.70] [336.37] (appointed by British Treasury on November 18 [384.134])
- September 23
- A proclamation sets the fineness and weight of silver and bronze coins of Canada. [94]
- (month unknown)
- Building of the Ottawa mint, except for the gold refinery, is completed. [336.37]
- October
- Installation of mechanical equipment is completed at the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [388.236]
- Official opening of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint is delayed from November 9 to January 1, due to a delay in erecting a fence around the mint building. [384.123]
- November 2
- The Ottawa Mint Proclamation is published at the court of Buckingham Palace in England, authorizing the opening of the Ottawa Mint, with January 1, 1908 as the formal date for opening. [2] [85] [94] [294.115] [336.37] [384.124]
- November 7
- Test tokens are struck to adjust the coining presses prior to the first production of Canadian coins at the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [661.220] [172.71] [336.37] [1031.70]
1908
- January 2
- Governor General Earl Grey formally opens the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. He strikes the first coin minted in Canada, a 50-cent piece. Countess of Grey strikes the first bronze cent. 1000 specimen sets are struck to mark the occasion. First chief engraver of the Mint is H.S. Low. [1] [12] [661.xxix] [69.44] [85] [169.530] [171.73] [246.60] [257] [280.12,31] [334.117] [336.38] [350.38] [358.291] [364.395,424] [375.5] [401.29] [420.7] [437.119] [518.4] [592.4] [604.31] [683.22] [686.13] [693.6] [733.1] [818.6] [902.24] [1013.58] [1103.81] [1202.775]
- January 4
- An Order in Council passes, giving authority to mint $280,000 in silver coins, and $20,000 bronze cents. [172.75]
- February 19
- General striking of silver coins begins at the Ottawa branch mint. [172.75] [350.38] [1127.24]
- December
- The first gold sovereigns are minted in Canada. [1]
1909
- May
- An Order in Council authorizes striking $20,000 worth of coins. [172.81]
- September
- An Order in Council authorizes striking $275,000 worth of coins. [172.81]
1910
- April
- Members of Parliament for British Columbia ask the Minister of Finance to include authorization for a silver dollar in the Currency Act. [29.26] [386.225] [575.10]
- May
- The Government of Canada drafts an amendment to the Dominion of Canada Currency Act, authorizing the coining of a silver dollar, at 360 grains, with 0.925 fineness. The amendment rounds all silver coins to multiples of 18 grains. It also enables the government to produce gold coins in the denominations of $2.50, $5, $10, and $20. [2] [36.6] [85]
- May 14
- The Currency Act, 1910, receives Royal Assent. [29.26] [95] [172.91] [239.459] [386.225] [575.10] (May 4 [121.20] [1119.175] [661.191] [1150.68] [1175.152])
- May 17
- A proclamation sets the designs for the 1c-50c coins, effective May 21, 1910. [96] [1007.88]
- November 10
- James Bonar writes to the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint requesting preparation and transmission of matrices and punches for various coins, including the $1 silver, and $2.50, $5, $10, and $20 gold. [386.226] [571.50] [575.10]
- (month unknown)
- The Finance Minister makes arrangements to purchase a new coining press from Taylor and Challen of England, for striking dollar coins. [29.26] [37.20] [575.10]
1911
- February 20
- Dies for sovereigns of the current year arrive at the mint. [172.92] [350.132]
- March
- The Finance Department is asked by the Royal Mint to choose between Latin or English wording of the Royal Title on Canadian coins of 1911. The Latin wording is chosen. It is not noticed that the legend omits "DEI GRA" (abbreviation for "by the grace of God"). [172.93]
- June
- Coinage tools for the one cent piece arrive from England. It is noticed that "DEI GRA" is missing from the legend. [172.94]
- June 30
- The government approves modified draft proclamations, allowing the 1c design with the altered legend be used for coinage. [172.95]
- July 1
- A proclamation removes "Dei Gratia" from Canada's coins. [97] (July 25 [97]) (July 29 [97])
- (month unknown)
- A decision is made to strike only $5 and $10 gold coins, excluding the planned $2.50 and $20 values. [661.159]
- July 21
- The obverse punch for a dollar coin is produced at the Royal Mint in England. [174.157] [575.10]
- September
- The British Royal Mint has new tools for obverses of Canadian coins with the "DEI GRATIA" inscription. [867.15]
- October 3
- A new matrix for the dollar coin is produced at the Royal Mint, with the corrected legend. [174.157]
- October 11
- Three punches for the dollar coin are made at the Royal Mint. [174.157]
- October
- In England, Deputy Master of the Royal Mint, Sir William Greg Ellison-Macartney, strikes examples of the 1911 silver dollar, and acquires a trial striking for his own collection. [685.5] (Horace Seymour [29.26] [37.20] [713.1])
- Designs for the $5 and $10 coins are submitted to the Royal Mint for approval. [172.99]
- October 17
- The British Royal Mint has an obverse matrix and two working punches for Canadian coins with "DEI GRATIA" legend ready for sending to Canada. [867.15]
- October 19
- The Royal Mint sends a pair of matrices and two pairs of punches for a one dollar coin to the Ottawa branch mint, along with a lead trial essai 1911-dated $1 coin. [2] [29.26] [753.11] [1119.186] [1150.88] (Ottawa receives pair of matrices and punches, lead piece created in Canada [121.20])
- Chief clerk of the Royal Mint writes to James Bonar advising that a package containing one pair of matrices and two pairs of punches for a $1 coin had been shipped to Ottawa. [386.226] [575.10]
- November 3
- Deputy Master of the Ottawa Mint acknowledges receipt of the matrices and punches for dies for the one dollar coin. [29.26] [37.20] [172.96] [386.226] [575.10] [1119.186] [1150.88]
- November 8
- Designs of the $5 and $10 coins, created by W.H.J. Blakemore, are approved for use. [172.99] [380.148]
- (month unknown)
- Master tools for the $5 and $10 pieces arrive at the Mint. [172.99]
- Electrotype specimens of $5 and $10 coins are produced. [571.50]
- November 15
- A proclamation sets the designs for the $5 and $10 gold coins. [97]
- December 29
- A proclamation restores "Dei Gratia" to the legend of Canada's coins. [97] [295.204] [738.1]
1912
- February 12
- A report from the stocktakers at the Mint lists 2,951.28 ounces of silver blanks for $1 coins on hand as of December 31, 1911. [383.74]
- (month unknown)
- In the yearly report to the Royal Mint, Master of the Ottawa Branch Mint James Bonar reports that no $1 coins were struck in 1911. [386.226]
- March
- The Finance Department instructs the Mint to produce 8,000 $5 gold coins and 8,000 $10 gold coins. [172.102] [1175.154]
- April 1
- The Halifax Chronicle reports that plans to issue a $1 coin have been scrapped. [154.15]
- May
- The first $5 and $10 Canadian gold pieces are minted. [1] [85] [390.131]
- June
- An 1871 Proof set is purchased by London, England, dealer Baldwin, for the collection of Virgil Brand. (By 1977, the 10c piece is one of only two known to exist in specimen condition.) [592.23]
- (month unknown)
- The British Royal Mint Report for 1911 includes an illustration of a Canadian 1911 $1 trial strike. [29.26]
- Pierre Napoleon Breton publishes the book Popular Illustrated Guide to Canadian Coins, Tokens, and Medals. [359.183] [336.12] [378.165] [442.18] ("Coins, Medals and Tokens" [363.372])
1914
- August 22
- The Finance Act receives assent, giving power to suspend payments in gold, and to make paper money legal tender. [54] [98] [172.104] [294.115] [1175.154] (August 3 [1]) (September 3 [85])
- September 5
- A proclamation prohibits the Mint from issuing gold coins or bars. [54] [172.104] [1020.38] [1175.34]
1915
- January
- The Finance Department informs the Mint that no further gold coins would be needed at present. [172.105]
1916
-
- The Royal Canadian Mint begins searching for an alternative metal for the 5c coin. [800.1]
1918
-
- A.H. Cleave replaces James Bonar as Master of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [563.1]
1919
- March 27
- The Finance Minister announces that the 1c coin will be reduced in size, closer to the size of the US 1c coin. [34.8] [84.17] [172.118] [343.34] [1136.34]
- May 3
- The British Treasury appoints Mr. Arthur H.W. Cleave to be Deputy Master of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, following the retirement of James Bonar on June 30. [385.74]
- (month unknown)
- The composition of the 1c coin is changed, to 0.955 copper, 0.030 tin, and 0.015 zinc. [661.56] [350.39]
- June 6
- Assent is given to an Act to amend the Currency Act, 1910, setting the weight of the 1c coin at 50 grains. [99] [391.152]
- November
- The Finance Department selects the design for the new small 1c coin. The design by Frederick Lewis is used for the reverse. [84.17] [172.118] [380.148] [400.16] [401.29]
- The Mint places an order with the Royal Mint for the matrices and punches to produce the new small cent. [172.118] [400.16]
- November 22
- The Minister of Finance reports that due to the increased price of silver, to continue with 0.925 fine silver coinage would mean a loss of 4.7c per ounce, and coins in circulation would likely be melted. [125.1] [1078.48]
- November 25
- The Governor General in Council authorizes fineness of 0.800 for circulating silver coins, effective January 1, 1920. [125.1] [172.119]
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