Coin Highlights
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Year/Mint: 1996, Royal Canadian Mint (Ottawa).
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Denomination: $5 CAD legal tender.
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Metal & Weight: 1 troy oz (31.1 g) of .9999 fine silver; reeded edge.
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Size: 38 mm diameter, ~3.296 mm thickness.
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Designs: Obv. Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt (SML effigy era began in 1990); Rev. single sugar maple leaf by Walter Ott.
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Reported mintage: 250,445 (low-mintage early year).
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Grade: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU).
Historical Significance
The Silver Maple Leaf program launched in 1988 as one of the earliest four-nines (.9999) silver bullion coins. The 1996 issue falls within the Pédery-Hunt effigy era and coincides with the maple tree’s designation as Canada’s national arboreal emblem—a milestone widely celebrated by the RCM on later commemoratives (25th anniversary in 2021).
Collectibility
With a mintage of just 250,445, 1996 stands out for scarcity among early SML dates. Combined with the classic Ott leaf design and the long-running Pédery-Hunt portrait type, it’s a desirable pickup for date-run builders and type collectors seeking tougher 1990s Maple Leafs.
