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The Royal Canadian Mint has released new gold Proof coins in tribute to inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
With the invention and development of the telegraph from the 1830s to the 1840s by Samuel Morse (1791-1872) and other inventors, long-distance communication was revolutionised. It worked by transmitting electrical signals of dots and dashes using a keypad over a wire laid between stations. The new challenge in terms of communication was the development of speakers and microphones which could now carry voice over the same electrical wires to a level where the voice could be recognised. The race to invent the “talking telegraph” was in full speed and despite the controversy to this day as to who the real inventor of the telephone is, the accolade and history records that Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first patent for the telephone. Bell’s patent application was filed on the 14th February 1876 at the Patent Office in Washington D.C. and was the fifth entry of that day.
Designed by Canadian artist Simon Ng, the coin’s reverse features a portrait of Alexander Graham Bell and a depiction of the liquid transmitter that served as an experimental telephone in 1876. The outer rim features a mix of laser-engraved patent drawings and blueprint illustrations of some of Bell’s many inventions. The laser-engraved outer rim creates an interplay of light and shadows that adds depth to the design. To the right of the primary design is the text CANADA along the rim highlighting the laser engraved illustrations. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The denomination of 100 DOLLARS is placed just under the Queen’s likeness.
| Denom. |
Metal |
Weight | Diameter | Quality |
Maximum Mintage |
| 100 dollars |
.9999 Gold |
7.8 g | 20 mm | Proof |
2,000 |
Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom Royal Canadian Mint-branded case accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the Royal Canadian Mint’s website.
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