In releasing its 11th numismatic catalogue of 2016, the Royal Canadian Mint has paid tribute to some of Canada’s most iconic coinage.
Among the notable new issues is a 2017-dated one-kilogram ultra-high relief silver coin struck in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, which takes place next year. With a face value of $250 dollars, the coin is composed of 99.99 per cent silver and has a diameter of 102.1 mm as well as serrated edges.
Using ultra-high relief technology on a kilogram-format coin, it’s the Mint’s first coin to feature true-to-size recreations of circulation coin reverses and obverses from the last 150 years. Each coin featured on the reverse of the newly issued $250 coin was specially selected to highlight key moments of Canadian history since Confederation in 1867; this includes the effigies of various Kings and Queens who have reigned over our constitutional monarchy to the moments that have pressed us toward today.
This coin’s reverse design features about 35 obverse and reverse images from previous and current circulation coinage, all in the actual diameters of the original issues. The designs used on the new $250 silver coin include all of Canadian artist Alex Colville’s 1967 Canadian Centennial designs; all current Canadian circulation designs, including the one-cent piece whose production ended in 2012; the 2015 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag 25-cent piece; the legendary Voyageur dollar first released in 1935; each of the major obverses since the Royal Canadian Mint opened in 1908, including the effigies of King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II; the Victory Nickel of 1943 to 1945; the Celebrating Women’s Right to Vote dollar; the Canadian Arctic Expedition 25-cent piece; the Canadian Poppy 25-cent piece; the Heroes of 1812 Laura Secord 25-cent piece; the War of 1812 $2 coin featuring HMS Shannon; the Canadian Conservation Series Wood Bison 25-cent piece; and the Remembrance Day 1994 dollar.
‘LEGACY OF THE PENNY’
Another notable new issue is the 2017-dated “Legacy of the Penny” Fine silver coin set. This five-coin set commemorates the fifth anniversary of the phasing out of the penny’s production. Using multiple sized and shaped blanks, the Mint based the five coins’ designs on the changing faces of Canada’s one-cent piece, from its first striking in 1908 to the denomination’s phase out in 2012. Each replica features selective pink gold plating on the obverse and reverse to mimic the copper colour of the originals.
This set of 99.99 per cent pure silver coins is selectively plated in pink gold and features two two-ounce coins and three one-ounce coins. The two-ounce coins have a diameter of 54 mm, and the one-ounce coins have a diameter of 38 mm. The face value for each of the five coins is one-cent.
The two-ounce coins feature the original reverse design from Canada’s 1908 one-cent piece: a vine-like wreath of 16 maple leaves framing a centre field engraved with the face value. The wreath is framed on both sides with raised dots.
The one-ounce coins feature the original reverse designs from 1920 and 1967 as well as the 12-sided design from 1982. The 1920 replica features two maple leaves on either side of the reverse field, flanking the face value. The 1967 coin features Alex Colville’s iconic rock dove design. The 1982 replica features G.E. Kruger-Gray’s maple leaf twig design, which was originally introduced in 1937. Its 12-sided design recalls the shape of the penny from 1982 to 1997.
The obverse of each coin will include their original effigies. The set has a mintage of 3,000.
OTHER NOVEMBER ISSUES
Also included in the Mint’s November numismatic catalogue are:
- a 2016 50-cent lenticular coin, “Snow Angels;”
- a 2016 $5 Fine silver coin from the Birthstones series for the month of December;
- a 2016 $20 Fine silver coin from the Baby Animal series, “Woodchuck;”
- a 2016 $20 Fine silver coin from the Canadian Kaleidoscope series, “Polar Bear;”
- a 2016 $20 Fine silver coin from the Migratory Birds Convention series, “Pileated Woodpecker;”
- two 2017 25-cent coins, “Love My Cat” and “Love My Dog;”
- a 2017 25-cent pure gold coin from the Predator vs. Prey series, “Inuit Arctic Hare;”
- a 2017 $2,500 pure gold coin, “Year of the Rooster;”
- a 2017 $10 Fine silver coin, “Year of the Rooster;”
- a 2017 $250 Fine silver coin, “Year of the Rooster;”
- a 2017 $10 Fine silver coin from the Celebrating Canada’s 150th series, “Canola Field;”
- a 2017 $20 Fine silver coin, “Canadian Underwater Life;”
- a 2017 $20 Fine silver coin from the Landscape Illusion series, “Snowy Owl;”
- a 2017 $20 Fine silver coin, “The Nutty Squirrel and the Mighty Oak;”
- a 2017 $20 Fine silver coin, “Three-Dimensional Breaching Whale;”
- a 2017 $20 Fine silver coin from the Nature’s Impressions series, “Woodland Caribou;”
- a 2017 $25 Fine silver coin, “A View of Canada from Space;”
- a 2017 $25 Fine silver “Football-Shaped and Curved” coin;
- a 2017 $200 pure gold “Football-Shaped and Curved” coin;
- a 2017 $25 Fine silver coin, “35th Anniversary of Trivial Pursuit;”
- a 2017 $100 Fine silver coin, “Grizzly Bear;” and
- a 2017 $500 pure gold coin, “Peregrine Falcon.”
For more information, visit mint.ca.