Special Canada 150 medal receives Queen’s approval

Following a 150-year-old tradition started by the Fathers of Confederation and Queen Victoria in 1867, Queen Elizabeth has approved the issuance of a new commemorative medal bearing her effigy to celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial.

While controversy has arisen over the federal government’s decision to forgo issuing any Canada 150 award medals, this new commemorative piece will be available to any Canadian who wants to order one before the limited mintage sells out. The large and artistic medal is being issued in a hefty weight of 10 ounces of pure gold; 10 ounces of pure silver; or 250 grams of bronze. It will be available for purchase as of June 30.

25 GOLD, 1,000 SILVER, 5,000 BRONZE

Only 25 pieces of the new Canada 150 medal will be produced in pure gold while 1,000 examples will be struck in pure silver and 5,000 in bronze. All three types have a very large diameter of 76 mm to match the size of the original 1867 and 1927 commemoratives.

Shown above is a limited-edition restrike of the original 1867 commemorative medal.

In addition to producing the new Canada 150 medal, Canadian Heritage Mint is also releasing limited edition restrikes of the original 1867 and 1927 commemorative medals with similar mintages to the 2017 medal. In this way, enjoying the 1867 and 1927 medal art will no longer be confined to museums and the most wealthy of collectors. While identical in design to the originals, these restrikes are clearly edge marked to indicate they are part of the 2017 Canada 150 restrike.

CANADIAN HERITAGE MINT

The Canada 150 medal has been produced by Canadian Heritage Mint, a new organization that combines the minting expertise of the long-established Lombardo Mint (now a division of the Mississauga Mint in Mississauga, Ont.) and Canada’s largest collector coin company, Canadian Coin & Currency.

Shown above is a limited-edition restrike of the original 1927 commemorative medal.

OBVERSE DESIGN

The allegorical obverse design by Canadian artist Rebecca Yanovskaya features numerous symbols of Canada and its history, values and spirit. “Canada” is personified as a youthful but confident woman exuding pride and strength. She is flanked by a polar bear, symbolizing power, independence, natural beauty, and our reach to the northern most parts of the continent.

The new image of Queen Elizabeth has been sculpted by Susanna Blunt, the same artist who designed the effigy on Canada’s current circulation coins. In designing the new effigy of Queen Elizabeth, Blunt has expressed she “sought to achieve a true to life image of Her Majesty as she appears today, while maintaining a stately appearance with poise and timeless dignity.”

This effigy design has been approved by Queen Elizabeth exclusively for Canada’s newest medal.

“Maintaining the level of design quality and ultra high relief on both sides was of the highest importance, a practice normally only achieved by the world’s top echelon of medallic art mints using a laborious multi-strike process,” said Canadian Heritage Mint president Steven Bromberg.

“We are very excited today to unveil what we believe is a medal of the highest artistic and historic merit, suitable to continue the traditions of our past, and ready to take its place in the historic record of Canada.”

The new Canada 150 medal and the 1867 and 1927 restrikes are currently being distributed through Canadian Coin & Currency in Richmond Hill, Ont.; online at cdncoin.com; and through the Shopping Channel.

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