1987 Canadian 50-Cent Coat of Arms Half Dollar Coin (Circulated)

1987 Canadian 50-Cent Coat of Arms Half Dollar Coin (Circulated)

Face Value: 50 cents
Mintage: 373,000
Composition: 99% Nickel
Weight (g): 8.1
Diameter (mm): 27.13
Finish: BU

The 50-cent coin bears the Canadian Coat of Arms. It honours the four founding nations of Canada: England, Scotland, Ireland and France. The inscription, "A Mari usque ad Mare," means "from sea to sea"; the second inscription, "Desiderantes meliorem patriam," means "they desire a better country." The current design was produced by former Royal Canadian Mint engraver Thomas Shingles and was first used in 1959. In recent decades, the fifty-cent circulation coin has not been widely used in day-to-day transactions, yet it remains popular with coin collectors.

Design:
The obverse design, created by Thomas Shingles, features a bust image of Queen Elizabeth II and the phrase "ELIZABETH II D.G. REGINA".

The reverse, designed by Arnold Machin, features Canada's Coat of Arms, a heraldic art form dating back centuries that was officially declared by King George V in 1921. The Arms first appeared on the 50-cent coin in 1937 and was updated in 1957 and 1994.