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1842
- April
- The Currency Act of 1841 makes British sovereigns and American 50c, $1, and $10 coins legal tender in the Province of Canada.
1854
- August
- The Currency Act of 1853 allows the Province of Canada to keep accounts in both British pounds and American dollars.
1858
- July
- The first Canadian coins are minted, in denominations of 1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, and 20 cents.
1870
- (month unknown)
- The first silver 5-, 10-, 25-, and 50-cent pieces of the Dominion of Canada are issued.
1876
- (month unknown)
- The first one cent coins of the Dominion of Canada are issued.
1901
- May
- The Ottawa Mint Act received royal approval, permitting Canada to mint its own coinage.
1908
- January
- The Ottawa branch of the British Royal Mint is opened. Governor General Earl Grey strikes the first coin, a 50-cent piece.
1910
- May
- The Currency Act is updated, allowing a silver $1 coin, and gold coins in denominations $2.50, $5, $10, and $20.
1911
- October
- At the British Royal Mint, trial strikings are made of a 1911 silver $1 coin. These pieces later become Canada's most valuable coins, though not truly coins.
1912
- May
- The Ottawa branch mint strikes Canada's first $5 and $10 gold coins.
1920
- April
- The size of the 1-cent coin is reduced to a 3/4-inch diameter, similar to the American cent.
- May
- Fineness of silver coins is changed from 0.925 to 0.8.
1922
- January
- The first nickel 5-cent coins are struck.
- (month unknown)
- Over three million silver 5-cent coins are melted at the Mint. An estimated 400 coins dated 1921 survive via mint sets and souvenirs of visitors to the Mint.
1929
- (month unknown)
- Nearly a half million silver 50-cent coins dated 1920 and 1921 are melted at the Mint, due to lack of use over the last decade, to be re-minted as 1929-dated coins. This creates a great rarity in the 1921-dated coin.
1931
- December
- The Ottawa branch of the British Royal Mint is transferred to the Canadian government, and is renamed the Royal Canadian Mint.
1935
- May
- Canada's first silver $1 coin is released to circulation. The coin was created to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reign of King George V.
1937
- May
- Coins featuring King George VI are released, with new designs on the reverse side.
1942
- (month unknown)
- Due to war needs of certain metals, the 5-cent coin is changed from nickel to a copper-zinc alloy, and made 12-sided to help distinguish it from the 1-cent coin.
1944
- January
- The 5-cent coin is changed again, this time to chrome-plated steel.
1946
- January
- The composition of the 5-cent coin returns to nickel, but retains its 12-sided edge.
1951
- (month unknown)
- Due to demands on nickel for the Korean War, the 5-cent coin again temporarily returns to chrome-plated steel.
1955
- (month unknown)
- The 5-cent coin returns to a composition of pure nickel.
1965
- January
- On the first day of the year, the Mint receives 156 bags of mail containing 2.4 million orders for mint sets. A limit of 2 million sets was planned, but the decision is made to fill all orders.
- June
- John McKay-Clements pays $55,000 for a 1911 silver pattern dollar, a world record price for a single coin.
1967
- January
- All six circulating coins have special reverse designs to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Confederation. Canada's first $20 gold coin is struck for inclusion in special mint sets.
- September
- The Mint changes the composition of silver 10-cent and 25-cent coins from 0.8 to 0.5. Striking of silver 50-cent and $1 coins is halted.
1968
- August
- Coin of denominations 10 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, and $1 are switched from silver to pure nickel. The 50-cent and $1 coins are reduced in size.
1971
- April
- The Mint begins minting 0.5 fine silver dollar coins for collectors, not intended for circulation.
1973
- December
- The Mint begins striking special $5 and $10 silver coins in support of the 1976 Olympics, to be held in Montreal. 28 different coins will be produced over four years. The coins are initially available at banks at face value, but are also sold by the Mint in higher quality special sets. For the first time in Canada, the Mint strikes the coins in Proof quality.
1975
- March
- A branch mint site at Winnipeg, Manitoba, begins producing coins for circulation.
1976
- April
- The Mint produces its first $100 gold coins, part of the 1976 Olympic coin program.
1979
- September
- The Mint begins a three-year program of producing one-ounce 0.999 fine gold bullion coins. The coins have a $50 face value, but are sold at market value for gold.
1980
- January
- The 1-cent coin is reduced in weight from 3.24 grams to 2.8.
- October
- The Mint strikes its one-billionth coin.
1982
- November
- The Mint begins selling 1/10-ounce ($5 face) and 1/4-ounce ($10 face) 0.9999 gold Maple Leaf bullion coins, in addition to continuing the one-ounce coins. These are the purest gold coins available anywhere in the world.
1985
- September
- The Mint launches the 1988 Olympic Coin Program. Ten different $20 silver coins will be produced for collectors over three years.
1987
- June
- The Mint releases the new "Loonie" $1 coin for circulation, depicting a loon resting on a lake. The coin is smaller than the nickel $1 coin, eleven-sided, and made of bronze.
1988
- September
- The Mint begins striking Maple Leaf bullion coins of silver and platinum.
1989
- June
- Due to the success of the new circulating $1 coin, the Bank of Canada stops issuing $1 notes.
1990
- August
- The Mint begins a yearly series of four collector platinum coins, ranging from 1/10-ounce ($30 face) to one-ounce ($300 face).
- September
- The Mint begins a new series of 0.925 fine silver Proof $20 collector coins depicting Canadian aircraft and pilots. Each coin has a gold-plated cameo depicting the pilot.
1992
- January
- The Mint begins issuing special circulating 25-cent coins in the Canada 125 Coin Program. Twelve different designs, one for each province and territory, are introduced throughout the year.
1996
- February
- The Mint releases a $2 circulating coin, depicting a polar bear on an ice flow. The coin is Canada's first bi-metallic coin, with a core of aluminum bronze, and an outer ring of pure nickel. At the same time, the Bank of Canada ceases production of $2 notes.
1997
- July
- The composition of the 1-cent coin is changed from bronze to copper-plated steel or zinc.
1999
- January
- The Mint begins issuing a series of twelve circulating 25-cent coins depicting Canada's past, in celebration of the millenium.
2000
- January
- The Mint begins releasing a series of twelve circulating 25-cent coins, depicting Canada's strengths for the future, in celebration of the new millenium.
- June
- The Mint issues its first colorized coin, a special collector-edition 25-cent coin celebrating the millemium, with a red flag in the design.
- December
- The Mint begins releasing nickel-plated steel 5-cent coins.
2001
- April
- The Mint releases a circulating 10-cent coin commemorating the International Year of Volunteers.
2002
- July
- The Mint releases a circulating 25-cent coin featuring a large maple leaf, celebrating 135 years of Canada.
2003
- January
- At auction, a 1911 silver dollar pattern sells for $1 million. A 1936 dot 1-cent sells for $353,000, a new record for any North American small cent.
2004
- October
- The mint releases a circulating 25-cent coin featuring a black and red colored poppy. This is the world's first colorized business-strike coin in circulation.
2005
- May
- The mint releases a circulating 5-cent coin commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The coin mimics the 1945 5-cent coin, with torch and "V" design, and King George VI on the obverse. This is the first time in Canadian history for a non-reigning monarch to appear on a Canadian coin, and the first time the reigning monarch is intentionally not featured on a Canadian coin.
- (month unknown)
- The Mint sells its first palladium coins, one-ounce Maple Leaf bullion coins, for $1299 each.
2006
- January
- The Mint releases the 2006 Lucky Loonie $1 coin to circulation. The coin features a loon in flight, with the Canadian Olympic Committee symbol.
- April
- The Mint releases a circulating 25-cent coin with pink colored ribbon on white circle background. The pink ribbon is a symbol of support for breast cancer research.
2007
- February
- The Mint releases the first of seventeen circulating 2010 Olympic coins. The 2007 25-cent coin depicts the sport of curling.
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