5 Cents - Elizabeth II The Beaver

The beaver nickel design, originally created by G.E. Kruger Gray for Canada's 1937 coinage reform, became one of the longest-running reverse designs in Canadian numismatic history — surviving on the circulating five-cent piece until 2012. This oversized silver issue is part of the RCM's ongoing practice of elevating workhorse circulation designs into collector formats, a program that has drawn equal parts enthusiasm and criticism for its volume and frequency.

The selective gold plating on this piece targets specific design elements rather than the full surface — a technique the RCM refined through the 2010s to differentiate premium collector issues.