Mint official explains why we’re seeing fewer 25-cent commemorative coins
By Mike Walsh
Since Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2017, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has noticeably shifted its approach to commemorative coins, a change that has caught the attention of collectors and enthusiasts alike.
The once-popular 25-cent coin, often adorned with special designs, has been absent in recent years from the mint’s commemorative lineup. Instead, the RCM has increasingly favoured the loonie and toonie ($1 and $2 coins) for commemorative releases. To explore this trend and understand the reasoning behind it, Canadian Coin News spoke with Alex Reeves, senior manager of public affairs at the RCM.
One of the primary reasons for the shift toward using $1 and $2 coins for commemorative purposes is the larger physical size of these coins. According to Reeves, their larger diameter provides a more expansive “canvas” for artists to work on, allowing for more intricate and detailed designs.
“The $2 coin, in particular, is interesting because of its bimetallic composition,” Reeves explained. “This allows artists to creatively use the boundary between the ring and the core of the coin, offering a unique opportunity to play with different elements within the design.”
This shift in focus has established a pattern, making the loonie and toonie the preferred choices for the mint’s commemorative releases. The size and design flexibility of these coins have made them ideal for conveying complex and meaningful imagery, something that is more challenging to achieve with smaller denominations.
WHY ARE THERE FEWER 25-CENT COMMEMORATIVES?
While the 25-cent coin was once a staple in Canada’s commemorative coin series – remember the 1999 and 2000 Millennium series and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics series – it hasn’t been used for such purposes since the 2017 Canada 150th commemorative series. Reeves clarified that the move away from the 25-cent coin doesn’t signal its permanent retirement from commemorative use. Instead, it’s a strategic choice by the mint to ensure its limited annual commemorative releases have maximum impact.
“We typically issue around three commemorative coins each year,” said Reeves. “Given the limitations on how many coins we can produce, we’ve found it more effective to use higher denominations. This allows us to offer a more visually appealing and intricate product to the public.”
However, Reeves was quick to note that this strategy does not exclude the possibility of future commemorative 25-cent coins. For instance, he cited the 2021 ten-cent coin, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Bluenose. Despite being the smallest in diameter, this coin was extremely well received and even won the Coin of the Year Award for Best Circulating Coin, beating out strong competitors from around the world.
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