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The Royal Canadian Mint has released (2nd March) the latest coin, which is part of an ongoing series launched in January. This newest release continues the story of Canada’s first 100 years of Confederation (1867-1967). Each coin is a separate chapter represented by a different mode of transportation and art style.
During the first 100 years of Confederation, the story of Canada was shaped by challenging efforts to bridge the distances of this huge country and come together first by rail, then by sea, and finally — by air. The story unfolds in the series entitled “The First 100 Years of Confederation,” a three-part collection of some of the mechanised history-makers that helped shape a modern Canada. The second coin takes to the seas to tell the story of Canada’s coming of age (1914-1945). This was a new era in which a young nation found itself navigating uncertain waters made murkier by two world wars, which ultimately catapulted Canada onto the world stage
The second coin in the series is designed by artist Glen Green and continues from where the first coin in the style of Art Nouveau left off, with an Art Deco-styled view of Canada from 1914 and 1945. Featured on the reverse is a detailed depiction of HMCS Saguenay, a River-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy. Built in 1931 at shipyards in Woolston, Hampshire, in England, the vessel was one of the first warships built for the Royal Canadian Navy before the naval service’s rapid expansion during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945. HMCS Saguenay wore the pennant D79 at the start of hostilities during World War II, which was later changed to I79 in 1940. Surrounded by Art-Deco design elements, the text above the primary design reads 50 DOLLARS CANADA arranged in two lines.
The obverse features the effigies of the five monarchs depicted on Canadian coinage since 1867 and whose combined reigns span a century of change. Canada’s current sovereign, HM Queen Elizabeth II, is seen at the top and seen as she appeared on Canadian coinage from 1953 to 1964. Clockwise, the effigies of King George VI (reigned 1936–1952), King George V (reigned 1910-1936), King Edward VII (reigned 1901–1910), and Queen Victoria (reigned 1867–1901) complete the design. Each effigy is accompanied by a Latin inscription stating the monarch’s name and royal title, as seen on some of Canada’s most historic coins:
D.G. / DEI GRATIA, “By the Grace of God”
REGINA — “Queen”
REX — “King”
IMP — “Emperor”
IND: IMP: — “Emperor of India” (until 1947)
The year of issue 2021 is shown in the centre of the coin against a five-sided memorial base and elements of a compass in the background.
| Denom. |
Metal |
Weight | Diameter | Quality |
Maximum Mintage |
| 50 dollars |
.9999 Silver |
157.6 g | 65.2 mm | Proof |
1,250 |
Each mega-sized silver Proof coin is encapsulated to accommodate its larger size and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded black custom case, accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity. For additional information about this coin and others in the series, please visit their website.
Coin 3: Canada Takes Wing — Air Travel is scheduled for release in May 2021.
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