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 Replies: 28 / Views: 3,116 |
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Rest in Peace
1988 Posts |
Hi guys I just noticed some thing on just about every Canadian nickel. The word Canada is not centered on the nickel. The "A" is closer to the beads than the "C". Is there a reason for that...? See example below.   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Maybe because the date is centered, and then CANADA is centered above the date?
I suppose they could have adjusted the size of both CANADA and the date to make them both centered, but the date is the part of the Legend closest to the rim.
Edited by TNG
11/05/2011 11:56 pm
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Rest in Peace
 1988 Posts |
Ya, but "Canada" and "5 cents" are not lined up either...?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
838 Posts |
This is very interesting ... I had never thought of it this way.
Notice, though, that the tops of letters in "CANADA" center nicely with the water lines above. In other words, the right diagonal of the last "A" is problematic when considering how to center the word.
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Valued Member
Canada
250 Posts |
Cool! Good observation Wert! You have sharp eyes that picked up something I never noticed before. I could only guess that the text is centered under the artwork. As the water lines on the left of the beaver are longer than on the right then, correspondingly, the text "Canada" would have to move right to line up properly under the image. I can only suppose that the the water lines are longer on the left to accomodate the artists initials K-G. ( or becuase this way the beaver's back arch's nicely under the '5 cents'
only... my $0.02 worth
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I have a type set of Canadian nickels, including the tombac types.
I have occasionally wondered why myself, but never bothered to investigate.
I will review this thread as it develops!
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Pillar of the Community
3352 Posts |
Hey, I don't have any insider info into this design and/or into the designer (G.E. Kruger Gray), but it seems to me that Kruger centered everything on the coin, but then his initials (K.G.) kinda shifted the entire beaver a bit to the right, so therefore maybe ol' Kruger compensated a bit and shifted CANADA over to the right a bit to make it look symmetric? (NOTE => the beaver's tail is closer to the right side of the nickel than the log is to the left side of the nickel, correct?) ... Eh, I admit that my answer may be a bit weak, but at least I came-up with a possible reason (so I am giving myself a passing-grade on this question => part marks, for showing all of my work) ...  Edited by stevex6
11/06/2011 09:12 am
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2428 Posts |
Gentlemen...Its not off centre! The mint chose a specific area on the letter A and centred the word based on that.The letter A shoots out to the far lower right of the reverse giving us the illusion that it is off centre. If the word Canada was shifted to the left to accommodate the A then I believe the so called centreing of Canada would look even more out of Place as their would be a huge gap between the Top of the A to the denticles.
bibd hit the nail on the head when he suggested that the letter A was problematic!
Get a ruler out and measure the distance from the denticles, to the middle outer left section of the C and then measure the distance from the Top of the A to the denticles on the right side. I havent done it yet however I am quite sure it will be the same distance.
Edited by darryldarryl
11/06/2011 10:29 am
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Valued Member
Canada
278 Posts |
A very intersting observation. I have never noticed this myself before. Time to get the ruler out as Darryl suggests!
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Pillar of the Community
3352 Posts |
weak ... I measured a few different ways and I honestly tried to agree with darryldarryl, but in the end I still think that stevex6's answer was correct (man, that guy is awesome!)  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1002 Posts |
I also believe the problem has to do with the angle of the last A in Canada. I altered wert's original photo to center Canada and I think that leaves more blank space to the right. Having said that, it still doesn't look bad!  |
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Pillar of the Community
3352 Posts |
nicely done, canuck1us (you have computer skills to burn) ... but looking at your version, I think that ol' Kruger Gray was probably correct in off-setting Canada a bit to the right so the problematic 3rd "A" was cloaked ... hey => 1963 => my birth year SIDENOTE => I just bought a digital miroscope and uploaded my first coin photo (man, getting the lighting correct is super difficult) ... however, now I have a brand new addiction to play with  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2428 Posts |
Hypothetically speaking, if Canada began and ended with the leter 'I", then we wouldnt be having this conversation as the centreing would be bang on.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2428 Posts |
 Pat yourself on the shoulder stevex6. You are awesome however the situation remains the same. It appears off centre only because of the the way the letter A is naturally written. Quite simple.  Edited by darryldarryl
11/06/2011 1:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2428 Posts |
Thanks for agreeing with me canuck1us
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2428 Posts |
Please measure the distance from the middle of the outer edges on each end letter. The distance from those points to the denticals are identical!
If you are not sure what I am speaking of then draw an imaginary line through the middle of Canada from one side of the coin to the other. Measure the distance from where the line comes out of the C, to the denticals on the left side. Then the distance from where that line comes out of the A to denticals.
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Replies: 28 / Views: 3,116 |
Posted 11/06/2011 12:01 am
