1900 Canadian 5 Cents — ICCS MS-64 | Oval 0 | Queen Victoria | Near-Gem Mint State Silver

1900 Canadian Five Cents — ICCS Certified MS-64 | Near-Gem Mint State | Oval 0 Variety | Queen Victoria

An exceptional near-gem example of the 1900 Canadian Five Cent piece, independently certified by the International Coin Certification Service (ICCS) and graded MS-64 (Near-Gem Mint State) with the variety comment Oval 0. The coin retains nearly complete original mint lustre with a sharply struck, well-centred design and only a few minor contact marks that prevent the gem MS-65 designation. The Queen Victoria “Old Head” portrait is crisp and well-defined, and the reverse wreath and denomination are boldly struck. A premium, problem-free example of this late Victorian Canadian silver issue with a documented die variety.

Certification Details

• Country: Canada
• Year: 1900
• Denomination: 5 Cents
• Grade: MS-64 (Near-Gem Mint State)
• Comments: Oval 0
• Certification No.: XAV 914
• Certifying Body: ICCS (International Coin Certification Service)

Coin Specifications

• Composition: 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper
• Diameter: 15.49 mm
• Weight: 1.17 g
• Edge: Reeded
• Obverse Designer: Thomas Brock (Queen Victoria “Old Head” effigy)
• Reverse Designer: L.C. Wyon (Maple wreath design)
• Mint: Royal Mint, London

The Oval 0 Variety

This example carries the ICCS-noted variety comment Oval 0, referring to the distinctly oval shape of the “0” in the date 1900 as punched into the die. On the standard 1900 five-cent piece the zero is more rounded; on the Oval 0 variety it is noticeably elongated vertically, a characteristic resulting from the use of a different date punch during die preparation. The Oval 0 is a recognized and collected variety in the Victorian Canadian five-cent series, documented directly on the ICCS certification label.

Design & Historical Significance

The obverse features the veiled, mature portrait of Queen Victoria by Thomas Brock — the “Old Head” effigy — inscribed VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA. The reverse displays the denomination 5 CENTS within a delicate maple leaf and rose wreath surmounted by the Imperial Crown, with the date 1900 at the bottom.

The 1900 Canadian five-cent piece was struck at the Royal Mint in London in the final year of the nineteenth century and the penultimate year of Queen Victoria’s reign — she passed away in January 1901. It is therefore one of the last Victorian Canadian five-cent pieces ever struck, making it a historically resonant date for collectors of Victorian Canadian silver. Near-gem MS-64 examples with documented varieties are genuinely scarce and actively sought.

Why This Coin Belongs in Your Collection

Imagine holding a tiny silver five-cent piece struck in London in 1900 — the final year of the nineteenth century and the last full year of Queen Victoria’s reign — preserved in near-gem MS-64 condition with original mint lustre and a documented Oval 0 die variety. This coin combines late Victorian historical significance, variety collector appeal, and premium mint state quality in a single problem-free example. An outstanding addition to any collection of Victorian Canadian silver or a date set of the five-cent series.

Encapsulated in an original ICCS sealed holder. Tampering with the holder invalidates the certification opinion. Have holder replaced if inner package/seal is not intact.

The ICCS-certified coin shown is the exact coin you will receive. Guaranteed authentic.