1969 Canadian 1 Cent — ICCS MS-65 Red | Double Struck Mint Error | Queen Elizabeth II | Gem Mint State

1969 Canadian One Cent — ICCS Certified MS-65 Red | Gem Mint State | Double Struck Mint Error | Queen Elizabeth II

A truly exceptional and rare example of the 1969 Canadian One Cent piece, independently certified by the International Coin Certification Service (ICCS) and graded MS-65 Red (Gem Mint State) with the dramatic mint error comment Double Struck. This coin was struck twice by the dies during the minting process — a significant production error — and yet survived in gem condition with nearly complete original mint red lustre. The doubling is clearly visible on the design elements, making this a visually dramatic and numismatically significant piece. A certified mint error in gem condition is a genuinely rare find in any series.

Certification Details

• Country: Canada
• Year: 1969
• Denomination: 1 Cent
• Grade: MS-65 (Gem Mint State)
• Comments: Double Struck; Red
• Certification No.: XNT 887
• Certifying Body: ICCS (International Coin Certification Service)

Coin Specifications

• Composition: 98% Copper, 0.5% Tin, 1.5% Zinc
• Diameter: 19.05 mm
• Weight: 3.24 g
• Edge: Plain
• Obverse Designer: Arnold Machin (Queen Elizabeth II effigy)
• Reverse Designer: G.E. Kruger-Gray (Maple twig design)
• Mint: Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa

The Mint Error: Double Struck

A Double Struck error occurs when a coin blank is struck by the dies more than once during the minting process. After the first strike, the coin should be ejected from the press — but in this case it remained between the dies and received a second impression, typically slightly rotated or misaligned from the first. The result is a dramatic overlapping of design elements: the maple leaves, lettering, and date all show the characteristic ghosting or doubling of a second die impression. Double struck errors are among the most visually striking and collectible of all mint errors, and examples certified in gem condition with full red colour are exceptionally rare — most mint errors that survived did so through circulation, not preservation.

This coin is certified by ICCS with the Double Struck comment directly on the label, providing independent authentication of the error and its gem MS-65 Red grade — the highest colour designation for copper coinage.

Design

The obverse features the right-facing, tiara-crowned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin — the second effigy used on Canadian coinage, introduced in 1965 — inscribed ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA. The reverse showcases G.E. Kruger-Gray’s elegant maple twig design — two maple leaves on a twig with the denomination 1 CENT above and CANADA 1969 below.

Why This Coin Belongs in Your Collection

Imagine holding a 1969 Canadian cent that escaped the Ottawa Mint with a dramatic double strike — its maple leaves and lettering boldly doubled by a second die impression — and yet survived over 55 years in gem MS-65 condition with full original red lustre blazing. This is not merely a coin; it is a certified mint error at the pinnacle of the preservation spectrum. Whether you collect Canadian mint errors, Elizabeth II coinage, or simply seek a one-of-a-kind numismatic showpiece, this ICCS MS-65 Red Double Struck cent is an extraordinary and hard-to-duplicate opportunity.

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.