Canada 1858 5 Cents - Is This A Large Date?

To the Forum.

Check this out:
https://www.coinsandcanada.com/coin...ts-1858-1941

What I do to measure stuff like this is cut and paste some known examples into powerpoint, paste the unknown next to them and draw some lines that align with the long and short version (or high and low or whatever). Usually taking the line from a known to the unknown clarifies immediately.

It looks like to me that the 2nd one is small date. I don't think that you can go by which letters look "fatter" or thicker, since the top (1st) coin is much more worn, which will naturally make them look large since the dies are tapered, making the design appear large as it wears down. I went mostly by the 5-8 gaps and by drawing vertical lines up and down on either side of the digits and see where they intercected the rest of the design. That's my opinion only and not necessarily a fact.

Yes, one large, one small. If you can place another 5 between the 5 and either 8, it's small date. The back of the large date 5 is straight up-and-down, the small date 5 slants slightly to the right. The upper and lower sections of the large date 8 are much more ovoid than the small date 8 (which are nearly round).