What Is An Arnprior?

Technically Arnprior is not so much a what as it is a where. Arnprior is a town very near Ottawa Ontario, the nations Capitol. In December of 1955 the Mint made up an order of 2000 silver dollars for a firm in Arnprior. It was found that in this order there were 2 1/2 water lines to the right of the canoe instead of the usual 4. It is suspected that the cause was over polished dies, and though not that big of a deal, these became sought after "varieties" and a must have for collectors. Though it was the 1955 dollar that first attracted collectors to this variety, 1950 and 1951 dollars with the same waterline configuration are also given the term Arnprior. Confirmation of the 1955 Arnprior is given by the die break on the obverse legend, the joining of the T and I of GRATIA. Arnprior dollars without this die break command slightly lower price.