The Royal Canadian Mint have issued (14th July) a reproduction of the 1911 Silver Dollar for the 100th anniversary of this elusive early dollar and one key date to the dollar series.
Minted as a trial coin at the Royal Mint in London, only three examples (two in silver, one in lead) are known to exist. Eventually, only the dies for this pattern coin were sent to Ottawa, but the denomination was not issued. An example of this rare and prized coin was discovered in 1960 at the Royal Mint’s Museum in London. This coin is on permanent loan to the National Currency Collection in Ottawa. The “Voyageur” Canadian silver dollar as a circulation coin was not minted until 1935 with the release of a commemorative issue marking the silver jubilee of King George V. A circulation design was minted the next year and continued as a business strike until 1967.
The collector’s coin is faithfully reproduced utilizing the obverse design of Sir E. B. MacKennal that would eventually be seen on the 1936 circulation issue. The reverse design of a wreath of maple leaves encircling the denomination and year was the work of W.H.J. Blakemore and is used along with the dual date of “1911 – 2011” denoting the centennial anniversary.
The coin is struck in proof quality in sterling silver with a weight of 25.1 grams and a diameter of 36 mm. A mintage of 15,000 pieces is authorised worldwide of which 6,000 of this mintage will be sold as part of an overall 6 coin set dated 1911 – 2011 consisting of denominations from the one cent coin to the Dollar.
For more information on this and other coins offered by the Royal Canadian Mint, please visit their website at: http://www.mint.ca/store/coin/special-edition-proof-silver-dollar-100th-anniversary-of-the-1911-silver-dollar-2011-prod1120001
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