Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins (2000–2019) explained

From 2000 to 2019, there were various technological achievements in Canadian coin minting. The first RCM gold coin to be directly laser etched was the $100 Gold Leduc Oil Fields coin from 2002.[1] The technique would later be used for the 2003 $100 Gold Marquis Wheat coin and the 2004 $20 Iceberg coin. In 2001, the RCM achieved innovation with the 2001 Marconi $5 silver coin. It was the first RCM coin to include a direct lasered finish.[2] One of the technological breakthroughs for the RCM involved the 2006 Canadian Achievement series silver coin featuring Colonel Chris Hadfield. It was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software.[3]

The Northern Lights $20 silver coin was the first RCM hologram coin to feature a hologram without a raised border and, therefore, no delineation.[4] The hologram merges with the engraved relief of the mountains. In 2006, the $30 Canadarm coin was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software.[5] Technically, it was a complex design to render, due to the depiction of the closed glass visor and the complicated features of the Canadarm.

Numismatic three cents

Three cents

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Numismatic fifty-cent collections

YearThemeMintageIssue PriceFinishNotes
2007Annual Report10,000$25.95Gold Plated
2007Christmas Ornaments50,000$25.95Specimen with motion filled 3-D effect
2008Triangle Coin – Milk Delivery 25,000$49.95Green enamel effect on reverse, Proof FinishPart of Irregular Shaped coins collection
2008100th Anniversary of Royal Canadian Mint 16,000$44.95Sold as part of Coin and Stamp Set (double dated 1908–2008)
2009Calgary FlamesN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Edmonton OilersN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Montreal CanadiensN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Ottawa SenatorsN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Toronto Maple LeafsN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Vancouver CanucksN/AN/A24.95From Coin and Puck Set
2009Six String Nation Guitar30,000$34.95Specimen, with hologram on reversePart of Irregular Shaped coins collection

Discovering Nature series

Canadian Sports series

Canadian Festivals series

YearCoin No 1Coin No 2Coin No 3Coin No 4Coin No 5ArtistFinishIssue Price for each coinTotal Mintage
2001Québec Winter CarnivalToonik Tyme (Nunavut)Folk Festival (Newfoundland)Festival of Fathers (PEI)N/ASylvie Daigneault, John Mardon, David Craig, Brenda WhitewayProof$21.9558,123
2002Annapolis Valley Blossom (Nova Scotia)Stratford Festival (Ontario)Folkarama (Manitoba)Calgary Stampede, (Alberta)Squamish Days, (BC)Sylvie Daigneault, John Mardon, David Craig, Michelle Grant, Brenda WhitewayProof$21.9561,900
2003Yukon FestivalBack to Batoche (Manitoba)Great Northern Arts Festival (Inuvik)Festival Acadien de Caraquet (New Brunswick)N/AKen Anderson, David Hannan, Dawn Oman, Hudson Design GroupProof$21.9526,451

Canadian Folklore and Legends series

YearCoin No 1Coin No 2Coin No 3ArtistFinishIssue Price for each coinTotal Mintage
2001The SledThe Maiden's CaveLes Petits SauteuxValentina Holtz-Entin, Peter Kiss, Miyuki TanobeProof$24.9528,979
2002The Pig That Wouldn't Get Over The StileShoemaker in HeavenLe Vaisseau FantomeLaura Jolicoeur, Francine Gravel, Colette BoivinProof$24.9519,789

Canadian Floral collection

YearThemeArtistFinishIssue PriceTotal Mintage
2002Golden TulipAnthony TestaProof (selectively gold plated)$24.9519,986
2003Golden DaffodilChristie PaquetProof (selectively gold plated)$34.9536,293
2004Golden Easter LilyChristie PaquetProof (selectively gold plated)$34.9523,486
2005Golden roseChristie PaquetProof (selectively gold plated)$34.9523,000
2006Golden DaisyChristie PaquetProof (selectively gold plated)$34.9523,000
2007Golden Forget-Me-NotChristie PaquetProof (selectively gold plated)$38.9520,000

1/25-ounce gold

YearThemeArtistMintageIssue PriceFinish
2004MooseN/A25,000$69.95Proof
2005VoyageurN/A25,000$69.95Proof
2006CowboyMichelle Grant25,000$69.95Proof
2007The WolfWilliam Woodruff20,000$74.95Proof
2008DeHavilland BeaverPeter Mossman20,000$85.95Proof
2009Red Maple15,000$99.95Proof
2010RCMP14,000$109.95Proof

Butterfly Collection

YearButterflyArtistMintageIssue PriceFinish
2004Tiger swallowtailJianping Yan19,910$39.95Hologram
2004Clouded SulphurSusan Taylor15,281$39.95Selective gold plating
2005MonarchSusan Taylor20,000$39.95Colourized, orange and black
2005Great Spangled FritillaryJianping Yan20,000$39.95Hologram
2006Short-tailed swallowtailSusan Taylor20,000$39.95Proof (with coloured butterfly)
2006Silvery blue Jianping Yan20,000$39.95Hologram

1/25-ounce gold

Commemorative Silver Dollar series

YearThemeArtistMintage (Proof)Issue Price (Proof)Mintage (BU)Issue Price (BU)
2000Voyage of DiscoveryD.F. Warkentin121,575$29.9562,975$19.95
200150th Anniversary of the National Ballet of CanadaDora de Pédery-Hunt89,390$30.9553,668$20.95
200190th Anniversary of the Striking of Canada's 1911 Silver DollarW.H.J. Blakemore24,996$49.95No BU ExistsN/A
2002Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth IIRoyal Canadian Mint Staff29,688$33.9564,410$24.95
2002The Queen MotherRoyal Canadian Mint Staff9,994$49.95No BU existsN/A
2003Centennial of the Cobalt-Silver Strike at Cobalt, ONJohn Mardon88,536$36.9551,130$28.95
200350th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (First Effigy of Queen)Emanuel Hahn21,400N/ANo BU existsN/A
200350th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (Fourth Effigy of Queen)Emanuel Hahn29,586$51.95No BU existsN/A
2004400th Anniversary, First French Settlement in North AmericaR.R. Carmichael81,335$36.9541,934$28.95
2004400th Anniversary First French Settlement in North America, Privy Marked (part of Coin and Stamp Set)R.R. Carmichael8,315$99.95N/AN/A
2004The PoppyCosme Saffioti24,527$49.95No BU ExistsN/A
200540th Anniversary, Flag of CanadaWilliam WoodruffN/A$34.95N/A$24.95
2006Victoria CrossRoyal Canadian Mint StaffN/A$34.95N/A$26.95
2006Medal of BraveryRoyal Canadian Mint StaffN/A$54.95No BU ExistsN/A
2007Thayendanegea Joseph BrantRCM Staff based on image by Laurie McGaw65,00042.9535,00034.95
2007Celebration of the ArtsFriedrich Peter20,000$54.95No BU ExistsN/A
2008400th Anniversary of QuebecSuzanne Duranceau65,000$42.9535,000$34.95
2008100th Anniversary of Royal Canadian MintJason Bouwman25,000$59.95No BU ExistsN/A
2008The Poppy (with ultra high relief)Cosme Saffioti5,000$139.95No BU ExistsN/A
2009100th Anniversary of FlightJason Bouwman50,000$47.9530,000$39.95

Gold-plated proof Silver dollars

These gold-plated proof Silver Dollars were packaged with the corresponding proof sets for the year.

YearThemeArtistMintageIssue price
200540th Anniversary, Canada's FlagWilliam WoodruffN/A$84.95
2006Victoria CrossRoyal Canadian Mint StaffN/A$84.95
2007Thayendanegea Joseph BrantRCM Staff based on image by Laurie McGawN/A$89.95
2008400th Anniversary of QuebecSuzanne Duranceau60,000$89.95
2009100th Anniversary of FlightJason Bouwman55,000$99.95

Collector cards

The first collector card that was issued was to commemorate the creation of a new effigy for her majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 and a redemption was offered in Chatelaine magazine. In 2004, to commemorate the Acadie 25-cent coin. One card was included with every phone order after the launch of the commemorative coin. With the release of the Lucky Loonie, a third collector card was created. To procure a card, customers had to go on the RCM website and place a request online. A total of 23 collector coin cards have been released to date, mostly selling online for substantially more than they were when originally released.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Definition of finishes

Brilliant relief against a parallel lined background

Frosted relief against a mirror background

Brilliant relief on a satin background

Mint marks

Used on 2005 palladium test coin to signify the coins were struck from Lot A

Used on 2005 palladium test coin to signify the coins were struck from Lot B

Placed on sovereigns produced at the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, between 1908 and 1919

In December 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in favour of his brother, who would become King George VI. The problem was that the Royal Mint was designing the effigy of King Edward VIII and now a new effigy would need to be created. The 1-, 10- and 25-cent pieces in 1937 would be struck from dies with a 1936 date on the reverse. To distinguish that these coins were issued in 1937, a Dot mint mark was placed on the 1936 dies, and could be found beneath the year. These coins fulfilled demand for coins until new coinage tools with the effigy of King George VI were ready. While the 10 and 25 cent coins are more common, the 1 cent coins are rare, with about a half-dozen known to exist.

Used to describe the rare 2006 $50 Four Seasons 5-ounce silver coin. Only 2000 were minted.

Used to identify coins that were struck for Canada by the Birmingham Mint, also known as the Heaton Mint, until 1907

All circulation coins for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics have the Innukshuk mint mark on the obverse of the coin

The obverse of the 2007 International Polar Year $20 numismatic coin has the logo for the International Polar Year on the obverse of the coin

All circulation coins for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics have the Paralympic Games logo on the obverse of the coin

All coins with a Maple Leaf mint mark were struck in 1948 due to an emergency with coin toolage. The granting of India's independence resulted in the removal of IND:IMP (meaning Emperor of India) from King George VI’s effigy. Due to the demand for circulation coins in 1948, coins for 1948 could not be struck until the new tools were received. The new tools would have the IND:IMP removed from them. In the meanwhile, coins were produced in 1948 with a year of 1947 on them. A small Maple Leaf mint mark was struck beside 1947 on the reverse of all coins to signify the year of production.

From 2001 to 2006, most one cent, five cents, ten cents, twenty-five cents, and fifty cents issued for circulation were struck with a P mint mark to represent the Royal Canadian Mint’s plating process.

At the CNA Convention in July 2006, the RCM unveiled its new mint mark to be used on all circulation and numismatic coinage. The agenda behind the implementation of this new mint mark was to help increase the RCM’s image as a brand. The aim of the logo is to educate coin users and coin collectors, respectively, that the RCM is minting Canada’s coins. The first Circulation Coin to have this new mint mark is the 10th Anniversary Two-Dollar coin. The first Numismatic Coin to have this new mint mark is the Snowbirds Coin and Stamp Set.[6]

In an effort to push the standard of quality higher, the RCM started to experiment with a gold bullion coin that would have a purity of 99.999%. The result was a Gold Maple Leaf Test Bullion coin with the mint mark of T/É (to signify Test/Épreuve). The date on the obverse of the coin was 2007 and it had a mintage of 500.

When the RCM released its Baby Lullabies and CD Set, a sterling silver one dollar coin was included in the set. The one dollar coin included a mint mark of a teddy bear.

Used occasionally on specimen sets produced in Winnipeg, starting in 1998.

Used on the Special Edition Uncirculated Set of 2003. The W mint mark stated that the coin was produced in Winnipeg and the P states that the coins are plated.

External links

Notes and References

  1. The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.17
  2. The CN Journal:The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Volume 53, No. 1, January/February 2008, p.18
  3. The CN Journal:The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Volume 53, No. 1, January/February 2008, p.19
  4. The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.18
  5. The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.19
  6. Coin World, Vol. 47, Issue 2417, Page 74, August 7, 2006