Canada ceased production of silver quarters in 1968. Prior to this change, Canadian quarters minted from 1908 to 1967 were made of 80% silver and 20% copper, which made them valuable not only as currency but also for their metal content.
The decision to stop producing silver quarters was part of a larger move by the Canadian government to reduce the amount of precious metals in circulating coins. By 1968, the rising costs of silver had made it impractical to continue minting coins with such a high silver content. Instead, the Royal Canadian Mint transitioned to using a copper-nickel alloy for its quarters, which maintains the same size and appearance but is less expensive to produce.
Additionally, the year 1967 marked Canada’s centennial celebration, leading to a higher demand for coins, prompting the change in composition. Following 1968, all quarters minted in Canada are made of this more cost-effective and durable metal composition.