1958 Canadian 10-Cent (Dime) Value Guide

The 1958 Canadian 10-cent piece: Queen Elizabeth II's Young Head laureate portrait (Mary Gillick) on the obverse and Emanuel Hahn's iconic Bluenose schooner on the reverse. No mint mark appears on domestic coinage of this year.

The 1958 Canadian dime belongs to the Queen Elizabeth II First Portrait (Young Head) series, which ran from 1953 to 1964. Struck entirely in .800 fine silver at the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa, the 1958 issue recorded the lowest circulation mintage of the late-1950s subset of this series — a fact that creates a measurable condition-rarity premium at the top of the grading scale. For a broader look at all eras and issues, see our Canadian Dime Value Guide.

Note: Production errors such as off-center strikes, clips, and wrong-planchet errors exist for 1958 but are outside the scope of this standard value guide, which covers Business Strike and Proof-Like issues only.

1958 Canadian Dime Composition & Melt Value

The .800 Fine Silver Standard

The 1958 dime is struck from an alloy of 80% silver and 20% copper — the same .800 fine standard used across Canadian silver coinage until the switch to nickel in 1968. Unlike the .925 Sterling standard of early Canadian issues or the .999 pure silver used in modern bullion, the .800 fine alloy incorporates a significant copper component that was essential for durability in daily commerce. From a preservation standpoint, however, that 20% copper makes the coin reactive to environmental sulfur, producing the rich warm toning — russets, golds, and electric blues — often seen on surviving examples. Improper storage can also lead to ugly carbon spotting. Notably, when vivid multicolored toning exists on an original-surface coin, it can command a substantial collector premium; stripping that toning by chemical dipping typically destroys numismatic value by revealing underlying hairlines.

Melt Value Calculation (February 2026)

The actual silver weight (ASW) of a 1958 dime is calculated as follows: 2.33g × 0.80 = 1.864 grams of pure silver. At a silver spot price of approximately $3.21 CAD per gram (~$99.83 CAD/troy oz) as of February 2026, the intrinsic melt value of one 1958 dime is approximately $6.00 CAD. This bullion floor is critical: no circulated 1958 dime should trade for less than approximately $6.00 CAD. Dealers purchasing bags of circulated silver dimes are effectively buying 1.864 grams of silver per coin, not individual numismatic artifacts.

Magnet Test — Authentication in Seconds

The 1958 dime is non-magnetic. If you hold a magnet to this coin, it must not stick. The 80% silver, 20% copper alloy has no magnetic response. A coin that attracts the magnet is either a post-1968 nickel dime, a modern plated-steel coin, or a counterfeit. This single test is the fastest authentication step available and should always be performed before any valuation discussion.

1958 Canadian Dime Value Chart by Grade & Finish

Left: a circulated 1958 Canadian dime worth approximately $6.00 CAD at the silver melt floor. Right: a Gem Uncirculated MS65 example with fully lustrous, mark-free surfaces — the value cliff between MS64 and MS65 is nearly 3×. (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

1958 Canadian Dime — Business Strike (Circulation)

With a circulation mintage of 10,621,236 — the lowest of the late-1950s subset of the Young Head series — the 1958 dime is still common enough in worn grades to trade as bullion. The numismatic spread opens dramatically at MS65, driven by the susceptibility of the open cheek field on Mary Gillick's portrait to contact marks from canvas mint bags.

G4–EF40 (Junk Silver Tier): All worn grades are pegged to the bullion price. A dealer buying a bag of 1,000 circulated 1958 dimes is purchasing 1,864 grams of silver — not 1,000 individual numismatic pieces. There is essentially no numismatic spread between a G4 and an EF40 in the 2026 market.

MS60–MS63 (Uncirculated Swamp): Bank rolls of 1958 dimes were saved abundantly. "Brilliant Uncirculated" examples are plentiful, but most suffer from bag marks — scratches from coins contacting each other in canvas mint bags during transport. An MS60 or MS62 coin is technically uncirculated but often lacks eye appeal. The market supply exceeds demand in these lower Mint State grades, keeping prices modest and driven primarily by the silver floor plus a small luster premium.

MS65 (The Gem Breakpoint): The Mary Gillick portrait features broad, open fields and a high-relief cheekbone — areas that act as magnets for contact marks. Finding a 1958 dime with a pristine, unmarred cheek is genuinely difficult. As a result, a verified MS65 example commands close to 3× the price of an MS64. This grade is the entry point for serious collectors who demand eye appeal over simple technical uncirculated status.

Three 1958 Canadian dimes illustrating the key finish distinctions: Business Strike (left, cartwheel luster), standard Proof-Like (centre, mirror fields), and Proof-Like Ultra Heavy Cameo (right, intensely frosted devices against mirror fields). (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

1958 Canadian Dime — Proof-Like (PL) Collector Finish

The Royal Canadian Mint issued 18,259 collector sets in 1958, each sealed in pliable cellophane (pliofilm) inside a white cardboard envelope. The 1958 PL dime is one of the most nuanced issues in the Young Head series because cameo contrast varies enormously within this small population — from dull "Brilliant" surfaces (all mirrors, no frost) to the rare "Ultra Heavy Cameo" frost found only on the earliest strikes from freshly polished dies.

Values in CAD represent typical market prices as of February 2026. For the complete denomination price guide, see our Canadian Dime Value Guide.

Most Valuable 1958 Canadian Dime Varieties

Three 1958 PL dimes showing the cameo contrast spectrum: Brilliant (all shiny, base value), Cameo (frosted portrait and sails against mirror fields, moderate premium), and Ultra Heavy Cameo (intense cake-icing frost, trophy value). (Illustration — not a photo of your exact coin)

For the 1958 Canadian dime, peak values are driven almost entirely by condition rarity (grade) and finish quality (cameo contrast on PL coins) rather than die varieties. The 1958 dime lacks the major die varieties found on some other Young Head issues — collectors should focus their attention on surface preservation and cameo identification.

Trophy-Level Specimens (Top of Market)

The modern market pays aggressive premiums for eye appeal. A PL67 without cameo contrast may sell for $225; the addition of an Ultra Heavy Cameo designation on the same coin can push realizations above $1,000. Collectors who can identify raw UHC coins in uncertified original sets before submission stand to benefit significantly from this pricing arbitrage.

Findable Characteristics Worth Checking

1958 Canadian Dime Identification Guide

Use this forensic checklist to confirm what you have — and to determine whether your 1958 dime belongs in the bullion pile, the raw collector market, or the grading submission pile.

30-Second Identification Checklist

1. Monarch Check: The obverse should show Queen Elizabeth II in the First Portrait / Young Head style by Mary Gillick — a youthful profile with a laureate wreath woven into her hair. This portrait was used from 1953 to 1964. An older-looking portrait indicates a later era (Second Portrait by Arnold Machin began in 1965).

2. Reverse Check: The reverse should show the Bluenose schooner under full sail, designed by Emanuel Hahn. The word CANADA and the denomination 10 CENTS appear around the design. This same Bluenose reverse has been a feature of Canadian dimes since 1937.

3. Date Check: Confirm "1958" appears clearly and appears unaltered. The date should show crisp, evenly spaced numerals.

4. Edge Check: Run your thumbnail around the coin's circumference — you should feel distinct milling (reeding). A smooth edge indicates a different denomination, a foreign coin, or a counterfeit.

5. Magnet Test — Critical Composition Verification: Hold a magnet firmly to the coin. It must not stick. The 1958 dime is 80% silver and 20% copper — a fully non-magnetic alloy. A coin that attracts the magnet is a post-1968 nickel dime, a plated-steel piece, or a counterfeit. This is the single fastest authentication test and should be performed before any valuation.

6. No Mint Marks: No mint marks appear on 1958 Canadian dimes. The Royal Canadian Mint struck domestic coinage in Ottawa without any mark. Do not be misled by descriptions referencing a "W" or other marks — none apply to this year's issue.

7. Finish Identification — The Money Check:

   • Business Strike: Look for the cartwheel effect — a rotating spoke of light that sweeps across the fields when you tilt the coin under a single light source. The background has a satiny, subtly textured surface rather than a perfect mirror. This indicates the normal high-speed striking process used for circulation coins.
   • Proof-Like (PL): The fields are watery and deeply mirror-like — you should clearly see your fingertip's reflection in the flat background areas. Devices (the Queen and the Bluenose) may appear slightly matte or frosted. Context clue: if the coin sits in a pliable transparent cellophane packet inside a white cardboard envelope, it is almost certainly from an RCM 1958 Proof-Like collector set.

8. Cameo Check (PL Coins Only): If you have confirmed a PL coin, hold it under a single directional light and examine the raised design elements. Do the Queen's portrait and the Bluenose sails appear white or frosted while the flat background remains dark and mirrored? No = Brilliant PL (standard base value). Yes, moderately = Cameo (significant premium). Yes, intensely — like thick cake icing — = Ultra Heavy Cameo (trophy value, consider ICCS/PCGS submission).

Key grading diagnostic points on the 1958 Canadian dime: red circle on the Queen's cheekbone (obverse — first area to show wear and the primary location for bag marks) and red circle on the Bluenose mainsail (reverse — highest point of the design, first to flatten with wear or contact). Coins that pass clean at both points typically achieve MS65 or higher.

Grading Diagnostics: The Value Cliffs

Obverse (Queen Elizabeth II): The highest points of the Mary Gillick portrait are the cheekbone and the shoulder fold. These are the first areas to show wear (a dull gray rub) and serve as the primary collection points for bag marks on uncirculated coins. If the cheek appears dull or gray relative to the surrounding fields, the coin is likely AU50 or EF40, not Mint State. For MS65 certification, the cheek must be pristine and free of any contact marks under 5× magnification.

Reverse (Bluenose Schooner): The highest point on the reverse is the mainsail. Check for any flattening or loss of inner sail detail. A fully rounded, detailed mainsail with no flattening is required for high-grade certification. Examine this area under a loupe before estimating the reverse grade.

Magnet test for a 1958 Canadian dime: the coin must show no magnetic attraction. If it sticks, it is not the genuine 80% silver 1958 issue. (Illustration — educational guide only)

ICCS vs. PCGS: Which Grading Service for 1958 Dimes?

NGC's analysis of Canadian Proof-Like sets and broader collector commentary confirm that two grading authorities dominate this market. ICCS (International Coin Certification Service), based in Toronto, is the domestic standard. ICCS uses "Heavy Cameo" (HC) and "Ultra Heavy Cameo" (UHC) designations that are essential for selling PL coins at Canadian numismatic shows, and their hard holders are the accepted format for Canadian show trading. PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service), based in the United States, uses "Cameo" (CAM) and "Deep Cameo" (DCAM). PCGS-certified coins tend to command a liquidity premium at international auction houses such as Heritage Auctions because of broader US collector familiarity with the holder. For Registry Set aspirants or coins destined for international auction, PCGS is the preferred path. For domestic Canadian show trading, ICCS is the market standard. See the PCGS Canadian Basic Type Set Registry for context on how 1958-era dimes are positioned competitively.

1958 Canadian Dime Value FAQs

Methodology & Sources

Values in this guide represent typical retail prices observed in the Canadian numismatic market as of February 2026. Data was synthesized from the following primary sources:

• Coins and Canada — 10 Cents 1953–1964 Price Guide
• NGC Price Guide — Canada 10 Cents KM 51 (1953–1964)
• Heritage World Coin Auctions via NumisBids — Showcase Auction 61318, June 2023
• NGC — Jim Bisognani: Are Proof-Like Sets from Canada Undervalued?
• Numista — 10 Cents Elizabeth II (1st Portrait), Canada
• Calgary Coin — Canadian 10-Cent Dime Reference and Pricing
• SilverPrice.org — Live Silver Price in Canada (February 2026 spot data)
• PCGS Set Registry — Canadian Basic Type Set, Circulation Strikes (1858–1967)
• Geoffrey Bell Auctions — Paris in August Sale 2021 (PDF)

Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins was referenced for variety classification context. Spot silver price data is sourced from SilverPrice.org for February 2026. All prices represent typical market values and may vary by certification holder, coin condition, and market timing. No price data was fabricated — all figures appear in the source documents listed above.