History plays a starring role as the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates a wide range of themes in its first offering of new 2016 collector coins. The historic ocean liner S.S. Great Eastern, which laid out the first transatlantic telegraph cable to link North America and Europe via Newfoundland and Ireland in 1866, figures prominently in a design by maritime artist Yves Bérubé on all 2016 silver dollar products. Looking back 100 years to Feb. 3, 1916, the fire that destroyed the Centre Block of Canada’s Parliament buildings but which the Library of Parliament famously survived, is dramatically portrayed by artist Tony Bianco on the Mint’s 2016 $100 gold coin. Dominion sculptor Phil White has created another tribute to Canada’s historic Parliament buildings by reinterpreting the gargoyle-like carvings adorning their exterior of the Ottawa buildings on a new three-coin, ultra-high relief fine silver series. Continue reading →
The S.S. Great Eastern will figure prominently on all 2016 silver dollar products while the Mint’s 2016 gold coin features the Parliament buildings fire.
