Commems Collection Canadian: 1974 Winnipeg, Manitoba Centennial - Nickel Dollar Commemorative

The Royal Canadian Mint revised its policy regarding its commemorative coins in 1974. Per the Mint's notice, "it was decided to broaden the guidelines so that consideration could be given for commemorative issues to celebrate the centennials, bicentennials or tricentennials of important Canadian cities.

The first city which could qualify and take advantage of these new criteria is the capital of the Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg."

The present-day City of Winnipeg traces its roots to French fur traders in the area as early as 1738. Its first permanent settlement was established in 1812. Continued growth led to Winnipeg being incorporated on November 8, 1873; at the time, its population was 1,869. (Today, Winnipeg's population is ~750,000; in 1974, the population was ~563,000.)

So, why a commemorative coin that celebrates 1874? Though it was incorporated in 1873, Winnipeg did not hold its first election of city officials until January 1874. For this reason, 1874 is often used as the "start date" for Winnipeg. The first mayor to be elected was Francis Evans Cornish, a lawyer and politician who leter served in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. He died in Winnipeg in November 1878; he was just 47 years old at the time of his death.

As it had been doing for its recent commemorative dollar programs, the Mint held an open competition for the Winnipeg anniversary design; it was to be used on the reverse of the nickel dollar and the silver dollar in 1974. The competition winner was Paul Pederson. Mint engraver Patrick Brindley was responsible for making the model from Pederson's sketch; the model was used to create the coinage dies.

The commemorative design (reverse) makes use of a "Then and Now" theme. Each of the large "0's" of the large "100" presents a view - 100 years apart (1874 and 1974) - of a main Winnipeg road intersection: Portage Avenue and Main Street. The 1874 scene presents a quiet street scene with an ox-drawn wagon in the foreground and low-rise commercial buildings of the city, including one with an active smokestack, in the background. The "1974" scene presents the modern (circa 1974) city of Winnipeg with its high-rise office buildings and a traffic-filled street scene. "WINNIPEG" is presented above the "100" with the anniversary years "1874-1974" below.

The initials for each artist involved in the design are seen between the "0's" of the large "100" - the "B" at the top is for Brindley, the "PP" at the bottom represents Pederson.

1974 Winnipeg, Manitoba Centennial Nickel Dollar


1974 Mintage Figures

Circulation Coin: 2,286,027
Collector Coin 1: 363,786 [Cased Dollar/Specimen finish]
Collector Coin 2: 213,599 [Included in Proof-Like Sets]
Collector Coin 3: 44,296 [Included in "Double Cent" Set/Specimen finish]
Collector Coin 3: 85,230 [Included in "Double Dollar - Prestige" Set/Specimen finish]

The coin was available individually in circulation (at face value) and cased for $2.00. It was also available within the 1974 Proof-Like Set which was issued at $5.00, the "Double Cent" Specimen Set which was issued at $8.00 and the "Double Dollar" Prestige Set that was issued at $15.00 (all prices in Canadian dollars).

For the first time, the collector version of the Nickel Dollar was encapsulated before being placed in its packaging. The encapsulated 1974 Winnipeg Centennial nickel dollar was packaged within a plain black styrene/plastic frame that was inserted into a blue tray in the base of a rectangular clam shell case. The inside of the upper segment (lid) featured a silk liner with a City of Winnipeg Seal graphic printed in silver. Canada's Coat-of-Arms and "CANADA" is printed in silver on the lid of the case. The clam shell was fitted into a white outer sleeve with the Coat-of-Arms and "CANADA" printed in navy blue on its top panel; the silver dollar version's clamshell was fitted into a sleeve with orange printing. (See sleeve images in British Columbia Nickel Dollar post: here.)


1974 Winnipeg, Manitoba Centennial Nickel Dollar - Printed Inner Silk on Lid



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Canadian Commemorative stories, see: Commems Collection.