This new Canadian coin looks like spare change but is actually worth way more

There's a new coin from the Royal Canadian Mint that could trick you into thinking it's just a fancy penny.

Spoiler alert: it's worth a lot more than one cent.

The 2026 Gleaming Maple Leaves coin just dropped, and while its design looks pretty similar to the old penny with its cluster of maple leaves on a branch, this half-ounce piece of silver has a face value of $10. So yeah, definitely not pocket change.

What makes this coin special?

According to the Mint, Canadian artist Celia Godkin designed the 34 mm coin to capture that fleeting moment when a breeze catches the silvery underside of maple leaves and makes them shimmer in the sunlight.

The coin features four silver maple leaves on a branch, rendered with intricate veining and a reverse proof finish that gives it serious shimmer factor.

The Royal Canadian Mint used multiple "frostings" to add depth and make the leaves pop against the frosted background — basically, it's designed to catch the light the same way real silver maple leaves do.

Obverse side of Gleaming Maple Leaves — 1/2 oz. Fine Silver Coin.Royal Canadian Mint

The other side of the coin features King Charles III's effigy, designed by Canadian artist Steven Rosati, with "CHARLES III, D. G. REX" and "10 DOLLARS" engraved around the edge.

How to get one

This isn't a circulation coin, so don't expect to find one in your wallet anytime soon.

If you want to add the Gleaming Maple Leaves coin to your collection, you'll need to buy it directly from the Royal Canadian Mint for $114.95.

It's available online or at the Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg. Only 25,000 of these coins are being made, and they're expected to ship starting January 23.

Each coin comes in a black clamshell case with a beauty box and includes a serialized certificate from the Royal Canadian Mint.

This article is adapted from "This new Canadian coin looks like a silver penny but it's worth so much more," which was published on Narcity.