| Diameter |
| 1870 – 1921: 15.50mm 1922 – 1942: 21.21mm 1942 – 1962: 21.3mm (12 sided) 1963 – 1981: 21.21mm 1982 – 2001: 21.20mm 2000P – to date: 21.10mm |
| Weight |
| 1870 – 1910: 1.16g 1910 – 1921: 1.17g 1922 – 1989: 4.54g 1990 – 2001: 4.60g 2000P – to date: 3.95g |
| Composition |
| 1870 – 1919: .925 silver, 0.75 copper 1920 – 1921: .800 silver, .200 copper 1922 – 1942: nickel 1942 – 1943: .88 copper, .12 zinc (tombac) 1944 – 1945: steel with nickel chromium plating 1946 – 1951 Refinery: nickel 1951 – 1954: steel with nickel chromium plating 1955 – 1981: Nickel 1982 – 2001: .75 copper, .25 nickel 2000P – to date: .945 steel, .035 copper, .02 nickel |