Obverse Design Of Canadian Coins

I have asked a great number of collectors, all over the world, WHY do you continue to honor the Queen of England on your coin and currency? Most of them are not real happy about it but it has always been the status quo and will probably never change without a near revolution! Of course we could get asked the same question concerning dead Presidents but at least they are OUR Presidents. There is a growing number of Canadians who would like to split the country down the middle with many western Canadians voicing an opinion to join the U.S. to get away from the east coast politics and French of Canada? Actually I find it rather odd that the Queen of England graces their coinage and the second (or first to many) language is French? Give that one some thought?

I am in total agreement with Five4fighting here ( I think I've had one old thread on this one myself).There are many Canadian symbols ( for starters I like Canada's coat of arms)that could be used succesfully.I think that the Queen should be honoured somehow,but not on our coins.At least we can try to do what USA does:put some Canadian personalities there.my Two Cents

ahh they will just keep making her younger or older on their coins, but I doubt they will ever do away with her being on the Obverse. I have no idea why they do it still but there has to be some reason that we arent aware of, maybe when the old bat dies they will change, then maybe they will change to big nose,big eared Charles on there who knows

To nitpick dsking's terminology: "the U.K." = "Britain" = England + Scotland + Wales + Northern Ireland. Canada, Australia and most of the other places that issue coinage featuring the Queen aren't part of the "U.K.". Most of us are part of the Commonwealth, which is what the British Empire has devolved into, and all Commonwealth members recognize the Queen as the head of the Commonwealth.

As for Canada, I suspect crystalk is mostly correct. As I see it, the monarchy is just about the only practical difference, politically, betweeen Canada and its southern neighbour. Putting pictures of the Queen on the coinage is a reminder of that difference, to the populations of both countries.

Here in Oz, the situation is slightly different, in that we don't have any large ex-British secessionist states for neighbours which we need to distinguish ourselves from (there's only New Zealand, who are even more rabidly pro-monarchy than the Brits themselves). But we do have a vocal pro-monarchist faction, which always make objection to any removal of the last symbolic vestiges of British colonialism. They see removing the monarch from the coinage, or removing the Union Jack from the corner of the flag, as republicanism by stealth.

Personally, I like the monarch on the coins - especially the Canadian ones. I like old Kruger Grey's designs, which I feel manage to portray all the important design elements a coin needs - country, date, denomination, a pictorial element of local significance - all on one side, wihout seemong too crowded. I know I can safely ignore the obverse because it contains no important information whatsoever.

I like the canadian coins the way they are. Maybe I am the only one who thinks the Queen should be on there.

Many Commonwealth countries not only have Queen Elizabeth the Second as Head of the Commonwealth but she is also Queen of ......... and this is written into their Constitution. Not only does a country say like Australia have the Queen as Queen of Australia or King as the case may be, but many of the former colonies that came together to for the Federation of the Commonwealth of Australia have in their own state constitutions that she is Queen of Queensland, Queen of Victoria, etc.

This may also be the case with many of the Provinces (former colonies and territories) that formed the Confederation of Canada.

If the United Kingdom ever became a Republic before Australia or Canada or New Zealand, etc did, the King or Queen at the time would still be King or Queen of Australia, etc.

Canada has twice used their own designed images of Queen Elizabeth II on their coins eg 1990 to 2002 and 2003 to current. These images are not used anywhere else in the Commonwealth and are said to portray the Queen with a more French appearance. French you say, well she is a descendant of William the Conqueror, a French King who became King of France and England at the time. The United Kingdom still retains some of the land he brought with him to the Throne of England - the Channel Islands.

Like in Australia there will be no real move for change again until the Queen passes on. She celebrated her 80th birthday in 2006. It will be after her death, the obverse will change. Mints will have to issue currency with the image of the new Monarch as they have done each time in the past. Of course old coins will still circulate for many years but they will gradually be withdrawn as they wear out. Of course if a country become a republic then they will have a different obverse. Republics can still remain within the Commonwealth of Nations - look at Kenya, India, Malaysia, etc.

I liked the old Queens and Kings portraits on the coins, Like Victorias and of Course gourgous george with the crown and Robe on , such fine Engraving They were so majestic (No pun inteneded) I did like some of QEII on coins . But for how many more years do we need to see her no offense to the queen. But I also share the same sediments as most of you

I guess its a little hard to get away from tradition. Just look at US coinage, we have been using the same dead presidents for decades. In fact Lincoln had graced the cent for almost 100 years and that portrait has not changed at all.