The Nickel - 5¢

The Nickel - 5¢

We now move one step up the Canadian currency and towards the nickel or the 5 cents. Its name comes from the fact that the coin contains Nickel which makes it a very shiny coin. Like the penny, the nickel uses the metal mostly in the coating process. It is also heavier and quite thicker too but not by much.

The nickel itself has a beaver on its reverse and the reverse bears the face of the Queen just like the penny. It is also in my opinion the coin which has a very polished circular edge in the Canadian coins. It is almost the same as the penny when new. I say new because unlike the one cent, this five cents coin, does not seem to turn dull easily over time.

If you are short by 5 cents, this will not be easily overlooked by the sellers. Similarly it most likely that you will not say keep the change if you were to be returned 5 cents. I still have an impressive amount of nickels in a bag and an interesting fact is the 5 cent is the first Canadian coin I have seen when my relatives visited us. I do not really remember what impressed me but perhaps it is the shiny aspect of it.

The nickel can be still found at the bottom of fountains but is mostly common to see the coins on tip plates along with other coins. In terms value a 5 cent represents the cost of a plastic bag at any supermarket. It was introduced and imposed a few years back because of environmental concern.