2003 Canada Elizabeth II 1 Cent (3rd portrait, magnetic)

2003 Canada Elizabeth II 1 Cent (3rd portrait, magnetic) : présentation (texte en anglais)

Struck in copper plated steel composed of 94% steel, 1.5% nickel and 4.5% copper plating, these pieces respond to a magnet, a simple test that lets collectors separate them from their nonmagnetic counterparts of identical design. The obverse carries the dignified, mature effigy of the Queen by Dora de Pédery-Hunt, wearing a diadem, while the reverse retains the classic twin maple leaves on a single twig designed by George Edward Kruger Gray, a motif that has defined the Canadian cent for generations. Some examples bear a small "P" beneath the portrait, signifying the plated composition and adding a distinctive feature for specialists to study. For collectors, this type is an essential part of any modern Canadian set, offering a tangible record of the technological transition that reshaped the nation's coinage and inspiring careful attribution by composition, marking and strike quality.