Why is there a small p at the bottom of the heads side of seemingly every common Canadian coin made after 2000

Question

Canadian coins made after 2000 have a small p below the head of Queen Elizabeth, except for recent ones (post-2007), that have what looks like a fleur-de-lis below the head. Coins made before 2000 don't seem to have anything below the head.

The RCM (not surprisingly) has no information on it. None. They're too busy trying to sell me gold plated nickels with birds on them.

Answer 1

It is my understanding that the 'P' stands for "Plated". The coin blanks are plated steel. You should be able to verify this by checking your coins with a magnet.
The other mark you refer to is a newly adopted mint mark (the Royal Canadian Mint web site probably has that information). A link to the mint web site is provided below:

http://www.mint.ca/royalcanadianmintpublic/index.aspx?requestedPath=/en-CA/Home/default.htm

ADDED LATER: Unfortunately, I know what you mean about the RCM web site. They are trying to sell an incredible amount of non-circulating legal tender junk.

Added later still:
The following was lifted from the Canadian Coin News FAQs web site. It thoroughly answers your question.

What does that P stand for?
In 1999 the Mint began converting the circulating coins below $1 to plated steel planchets produced in their new plating facility. The new coins have a slight difference in weight and the vending industry requested a mark to make it easier for them to calibrate coin-operated machines. The P mint mark was chosen. In some years both P and no P mark coins have been made. In 2006 the Mint announced that the p mark would be discontinued and all circulating coins would have a new mint mark, regardless of metallic content. Which leads to....

What is that funny mark that looks sort of like an M in a circle?
That is a new mint mark, based on a simplified RCM logo inside a circle. Starting late in 2006 it will be put on all circulating Canadian coins.

Why are only some 1-cent and 5-cent coins attracted to a magnet?
As explained earlier, there has been a change in the metallic content of Canadian coins. Prior to using plated steel, the 5-cent coins were made of a non-ferrous cupro-nickel alloy and the cents were plated zinc cores. Some 1-cent coins are still being produced on zinc cores, depending on which is cheaper at the time.

http://www.canadiancoinnews.com/coinfaq.html

Answer 2

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