JarSort · Inherited coin values
1948 Voyageur dollar value
The 1948 Voyageur dollar is the key date of the Canadian silver dollar series — only about 18,800 were minted while dies were delayed. A circulated example guides around C$700 and up (about US$500), versus about C$32–$38 for a common-date Voyageur. The difference is the date, and nothing else.
The three numbers that matter
Prices as of Oct 24, 2026 · Silver spot $53.80/ozt (Kitco) · Circulated, common date, problem-free, raw (uncertified) unless stated
The C$700+ figure is a Canadian guide price for a genuine, problem-free 1948 in circulated grades. A common-date Voyageur (1935–1967, any other year) is worth $32–$38. The 1948 is heavily copied — never sell one raw without authentication.
How to tell a 1948
Read the date on the obverse: 1948, with George VI. No mint mark — all Canadian dollars were struck in Ottawa. The reverse is the Voyageur (canoe) design. If the date is 1947, check for the pointed-7 vs blunt-7 varieties and the 1947 maple-leaf striking — the pointed 7 is the scarcer one, but neither is a 1948.
Why it is worth C$700+
Only about 18,800 were struck: the Royal Canadian Mint was waiting on new dies for the 1948 issue, so most of the year's dollars were never made. Survivors are few, and demand from Canadian collectors is steady. A common-date Voyageur in the same condition is $32–$38 — the 1948 premium is entirely about the date.
What to do with it
- Do not clean it. Cleaning destroys collector value.
- Get it authenticated. The 1948 is one of Canada's most copied coins. A certified holder (PCGS/NGC/ICCS) is worth far more than the same coin raw, because the dealer does not have to price in authentication risk.
- Get two offers. Take the dealer sheet to two dealers and compare against the range above.
- Weigh it. A genuine Voyageur dollar weighs 23.33 g and is not magnetic.
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