- (month unknown)
- 51,494 0.925 fine 25c pieces and 144,200 0.925 fine 50c pieces are melted at the mint, to be recoined as 0.800 fine silver coins. [661.104,122]
- The mint begins planning the replacement of the silver 5c coin with a nickel coin. [661.72]
- September
- Two additional coining presses are received and installed at the Mint. [391.133] [1]
1921
-
- 2.5 million silver 5 cent coins dated 1921 are minted before it is decided to switch to a pure nickel coin. [661.72] [663.38]
- May 3
- Legislation passes amending the Currency Act, authorizing a nickel 5c coin, legal tender in amounts up to $5. [661.72] [34.14] [85] [155.4] [162.20] [295.204] [673.15] (February 14 [1])
- May 11
- Assent is given to an Act to amend the Currency Act, 1910, adding the nickel 5c coin weighing 70 grains, valid up to $5 per transaction. [391.153] [416.18]
- May
- Finance Minister Sir Henry Drayton chooses the design for the nickel 5c coin. The design created by W.H.J. Blakemore is used for the reverse. [172.120] [380.148] [391.139]
- December 17
- A proclamation describes the design of the new nickel 5c coin. The changes are to be effective January 2. [391.156]
1922
- January 3
- The Governor General Julian Byng strikes the first two nickel 5c coins of Canada, at the mint in Ottawa. He and Lady Byng are presented with these two nickels in plush cases. [155.4] [296] [391.139] [400.16] [406.23] [416.18] [800.1] (struck by nieces of the Governor General [169.604])
- June 20
- Export of gold coins is prohibited. [165]
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- (month unknown)
- 3,022,665 5c silver coins on hand at the mint are melted down. The estimated 400 surviving 1921-dated copies were obtained in mint sets or by visitors to the Mint. [661.72]
1923
- June 16
- Prohibition of the export of gold coins is extended. [165]
1924
- December
- Sir William Greg Ellison-Macartney, former deputy master of the Royal Mint, dies. His three children likely inherit the Canadian 1911 $1 test strike in his collection. [685.5]
1925
- June 22
- Prohibition of the export of gold coins is extended until July 1, 1926. [165]
- (month unknown)
- J.H. Campbell replaces A.H. Cleave as Master of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint. [563.1] [683.22]
- August 15
- The British Treasury appoints Mr. John Honeyford Campbell to be Deputy Master of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, following the retirement of Arthur H.W. Cleave on October 1. [385.173]
- September
- The Ottawa Mint requests six pairs of dies for gold sovereigns from the Royal Mint. [172.128]
- November 16
- Wayte Raymond conducts a three-day sale of the W.W.C. Wilson Collection, at the Anderson Galleries in New York City. The sale features many Canadian Specimen pieces and patterns. [350.40,46]
1927
- February
- The National Committee for the Celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation proposes issuing a silver dollar commemorative coin. [172.125]
- May
- The Mint sends out contest rules for artists to create 60th anniversary commemorative designs for Canada's circulating coinage (1-cent through 25-cent). Submission deadline is mid-June. An award of $500 is offered for each accepted design. [122.1] [172.125] [684.6]
- (month unknown)
- The Mint receives 400 drawings for proposed designs for 1927 commemorative coinage. [684.6]
- September
- Winners of the 1927 coinage design competition are announced: Gustav Hahn for the 1-cent (semi-circle branch of maple leaves), J.A.H. MacDonald for the 5-cent (crowned British lion on a rock in the sea, a hand holding a maple leaf), J.A.H. MacDonald for the 25-cent (tower structure, four bells hanging from leaves, ribbons, dates on bells). No winner is announced for the 10-cent coin. [172.127] [684.6]
1928
- April
- British Chancellor to the Exchequer, Winston Churchill, suggests that control of the Ottawa Branch Mint could be transferred to Canada. [172.130]
- (month unknown)
- New master tools for $5 and $10 gold coins are ordered from the Royal Mint, and are received. [172.128]
- Trial patterns for $5 and $10 pieces are struck in bronze, dated 1928, in preparation for the possible reissuance of gold coins. [350.131] [661.192]
1929
-
- The Deputy Master of the Ottawa Mint decides to melt all silver coins on hand, to be reminted with the current date. 480,392 50c pieces, dated 1920 and 1921, are melted. [661.123] [172.124]
1930
- November
- Prime Minister R.B. Bennett visits the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in England, and discusses the transfer of control of the Ottawa Mint. [172.132]
1931
- June
- Prime Minister Bennett reads a bill establishing the new Royal Canadian Mint. [172.132]
- The bill regarding the new Royal Canadian Mint is passed. It establishes the Royal Canadian Mint as a branch of the Canadian Department of Finance, effective December 1, 1931. The Discontinuance Proclamation gives up the right to coin gold sovereigns. [172.132] [2] [12]
- (month unknown)
- Former Prime Minister Arthur Meighen suggests that the government increase the fineness of silver coins, and strike $1 and $2 silver coins. [125.1]
- July 6
- The Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs sends a letter to the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, proposing that the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint be called "The Royal Canadian Mint" when it is transferred to Canadian control. [385.219]
- August 3
- An act allowing the establishment of the Royal Canadian Mint receives Royal Assent, making the Mint a branch of the Canadian Department of Finance. [166]
- October 19
- Canada officially suspends gold standard. [1075.42] [1130.44]
- November 9
- The Ottawa Mint (Discontinuance) Proclamation, 1931, is read at the Court of Buckingham Palace, in England, discontinuing the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint as of December 1. [385.226] (November 14 [85])
- December 1
- The Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint begins operation as the Royal Canadian Mint, under the control of the Canadian Finance Department. The buildings, land, and enterprise pass from British to Canadian hands. [85] [167] [172.132] [257] [280.12] [334.117] [350.40] [358.291] [364.424] [375.5] [592.4]
1932
- May 17
- An Order in Council prohibits the export of gold coins. [189] [1012.84] [1052.60]
1934
- October
- Prime Minister Bennett decides that a silver dollar should be issued for the 1935 silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. [154.15] [172.139] [350.40]
- November
- Emanuel Hahn presents a caribou design for the 1935 silver dollar reverse. [154.15] [172.141] [1063.22]
- December
- Emanuel Hahn prepares a sketch of the full side view of a caribou or moose for a 50c piece. The caribou head from this sketch is later chosen for use on the 1937 25c coin. [350.105]
1935
- January 3
- Emanuel Hahn completes and submits a new design and model of a canoe with voyageur and Indian design for the 1935 silver dollar. [154.15] [392.22]
- January
- The Royal Canadian Mint sends the design for the 1935 silver dollar to the Royal Mint for production of master tools. [172.141]
- April 4
- Finance Minister Edgar N. Rhodes strikes the second silver dollar minted in Canada. [354.270]
- April 12
- A Royal Proclamation sets the design of the 1935 Jubilee Silver Dollar. The obverse design of the King by Percy Metcalfe is used. The reverse shows a canoe manned by a voyageur and an Indian, with in islet in the background, and the Northern Lights in the sky. [85] [380.148] [702.15]
- May 1
- A proclamation gives the new silver dollar legal status. [172.143] [1063.22]
- Canada's first issued silver dollar is made available, struck in 0.800 fine silver. The 1935-dated coin commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the accession to the throne of King George V. [2] [85] [702.15] (May 6 [154.15])
1936
- January 20
- King George V dies. The Royal Canadian Mint begins work on a series of new coins. [724.14]
- February 1
- A Proclamation authorizes a change in legend and design for the dollar coin for 1936. [2] [375.383] [1148.48]
- (month unknown)
- In producing the year's silver dollars, the Royal Canadian Mint uses the obverse master tools that were prepared for use in 1911. [172.143]
- April
- Invitations to submit new designs for reverses of the 1c-50c coins are sent to twelve Canadian artists. [172.149]
- (month unknown)
- A stone version of the $1 coin reverse is set in the wall of the new refinery at the Royal Canadian Mint. [702.15]
- May
- A new gold refinery with modern machinery is completed at the Royal Canadian Mint. [85]
- (month unknown)
- The Toronto Coin Club is formed. [334.117] [336.13] [350.40] [521.28] [589.4] (May 26, 1939 [351.553])
- July
- The Government decides that the Canadian Coat of Arms should be used on the redesigned 50c reverse. [172.150]
- August
- Approval is given to use Thomas Paget's design of King Edward VIII on Canadian coins. [172.147] [724.14]
- September
- The Finance Department makes its selection of the designs for the 1c-50c coins. The 1c coin will depict a maple leaf sprig submitted by Kruger-Gray for the 5c coin. The 5c coin will depict a beaver submitted by Kruger-Gray for the 10c coin. The 10c coin will depict a schooner submitted by Emanuel Hahn. The 25c coin will depict a caribou submitted by Emanuel Hahn for the 5c coin. The 50c coin will depict Canada's coat of arms submitted by Kruger-Gray. [172.151] [724.14]
1937
- February
- The obverse portrait design of King George VI is approved for use on Canada's coins. [392.22]
- (month unknown)
- To speed up the production of new coinage tools, the Royal Mint in London has the Paris Mint perform some of the work. [661.58,73,91,105]
- 1c, 10c, and 25c coins dated 1936 are produced, marked with small dot. [661.57,90,104] [34.8] [172.152] [350.104]
- April 6
- A Proclamation sets the designs of 1937 coins, to be current as of May 12. The obverse design by T. Humphrey Paget is used. [375.382] [380.148]
- May 12
- The new 1c-25c coins for the year are issued. [34.8] [350.77] [386.282] (May 14 [172.154] [1220.107])
- (month unknown)
- Cal Orton claims to have seen a second 1911 pattern silver dollar in England. Previously only the example in the Royal Mint collection had been known to exist. [575.10]
- Wayte Raymond publishes the book Catalogue of the Coins and Tokens of Canada. [334.117] [336.13] (1936 [336.13] [359.185]) ("The Coins and Tokens of Canada" [350.40]
- November
- The Bank of Canada begins withdrawing silver 5c and large 1c coins from circulation. [375]
- December 18
- An Order in Council continues the prohibition of the export of gold coins, until December 31, 1938. [189]
1938
-
- H.E. Ewart replaces J.H. Campbell as Master of the Royal Canadian Mint. [563.1] [683.22]
- December 20
- An Order in Council continues the prohibition of the export of gold coins, until December 31, 1939. [189]
1939
-
- Prime Minister Mackenzie King suggests adding a "1" in front of the word "DOLLAR" on the 1939 $1 coin. (It is done, but all other dollar coins before and since do not share this feature.) [648.46]
- April 15
- A Proclamation sets the design and dimensions of the 1939 commemorative dollar coin. [190]
- (month unknown)
- The Royal Canadian Mint strikes 50-100 mirror-finish Specimen 1939 silver dollars for numismatist J. Douglas Ferguson. [648.46]
- B. Koper begins publishing the magazine Canadian Numismatic Coin Topics. [359.185]
- October 2
- Thomas Shingles begins work at the Royal Canadian Mint. [363.54]
- November
- The Bank of Canada returns 108,568 undistributed 1939 $1 coins to the Mint. [350.128]
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