Canada, 1859 AD., Victoria, Royal Mint (London, Great Britain), 1 Cent, KM 1.

Canada, Victoria (1837-1901), engraver: Leonard C. Wyon, Royal Mint, London, Great Britain, 1859 AD.,
1 Cent (ø 25,4 mm (1 inch) / 4,43 g), bronze (copper 0.95, tin 0.04, zinc 0.01), 4,54 g. theor. mint weigt (1/100 US pound), mintage 10.000.000 , axes medal alignment ↑↑ (0°), plain edge,
Obv.: VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA / · CANADA · , her young laureate head, with plait of hair falling below the ear, facing left, all in a beaded circle, die break at C .
Rev.: ONE / CENT / 1859 , three lines script in a beaded circle surrounded by a serpentine wreath of 16 maple leaves and vine.
KM 1 .

Year / Mintage
1858 421.000
1859 10.000.000 9 over 8, large 9
1859 ? narrow 9 (all models). quantity included in the above
1859 ? double punch, narrow 9 model 1. quantity included above
1859 ? double punch, narrow 9 model 2. quantity included above
1859 ? several so far unknown variations, quantities included above
1859 ? brass (very rare)

Due to the high mintage and heavy weight, the coins were unpopular and many remained unused due to low demand. As a result of re-punching and overdates, up to 12 different varieties exist. Many of these varieties are difficult to identify and only some are widely collected and recognised. Several minor variations exist, sometimes not listed in the catalogs.

By the Act 16 Vict. c.158 of 1853 the denominations for the coinage of the Province of Canada was set as dollars, cents and mils. The Province of Canada was created by the joining of Upper and Lower Canada in 1840-41. It ceased to exist with the formation of modern Canada in 1867 with it joined with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to form the Dominion of Canada.