2003 Canada Elizabeth II 1 Cent (non-magnetic)

2003 Canada Elizabeth II 1 Cent (non-magnetic) : présentation (texte en anglais)

Struck at the Winnipeg facility in copper plated zinc, this type is not attracted to a magnet, which sets it apart from the multi‑ply plated steel cents produced in parallel and gives collectors a simple, reliable way to separate the two. The obverse carries the 4th Canadian portrait of the Queen, created by Susanna Blunt, the first Canadian artist to design an effigy of the monarch for the nation's coinage. It presents Elizabeth II without a crown, wearing pearl earrings and a necklace, a modern and approachable treatment that marked a clear departure from earlier crowned and tiara‑bearing effigies. The reverse retains the enduring design of G.E. Kruger Gray, showing 2 maple leaves on a single twig, a motif that has become one of the most recognizable emblems of Canadian numismatics. For collectors, this type is significant both as an expression of the Blunt effigy on the humblest denomination and as a tangible record of the Mint's shift toward plated steel, making it an essential component of any thorough type set or specialised study of modern Canadian cents.