5 Cents - Elizabeth II Royal Canadian Mint

This is a collector-issue struck in sterling silver, not a circulation piece — Canada's five-cent coin had abandoned silver entirely in 1921 and moved through nickel and then steel over the following decades. The 1998 date corresponds to the Royal Canadian Mint's ongoing numismatic program producing silver specimens that replicate earlier circulating designs, aimed squarely at the collector market rather than commerce. The Charlton references distinguish two varieties, likely differing by finish type — proof versus specimen — a distinction that matters considerably to set collectors building complete runs.