The Royal Canadian Mint (R.C.M.) has issued the first silver coin in a new series honoring Canada’s upcoming 150th anniversary of confederation.
As the country prepares to mark this historic milestone, the R.C.M. will partner with Canadian Geographic for a 13-coin series celebrating the incredible diversity and beauty of Canada. Each coin is inspired by a photograph from the magazine, reproduced in color on pure silver. Representing the nation’s ten provinces and three territories, each issue will depict Canadian wildlife or a notable landmark.
The first coin in the series pays homage to both the province of Ontario and to the reverse side on the Canadian dollar coin. The coin’s reverse image features the common loon, an everyday sight in many rivers and ponds in the Northeast province. The beloved bird was included on a new circulation-type dollar coin in 1987, which is now colloquially referred to as the “loonie.”
The reverse design is based on an image by Canadian nature photographer Jim Cumming. The coin transports the viewer to one of Ontario’s many lakes, where a common loon, or Gavia immer, has set up its summer home.
The application of vibrant color recreates the life-like qualities of the original photograph and captures the loon in fine detail, from its checker plumage to the unique black-and-white collar beneath its jet-black head. The reverse also features the engraved word CANADA and the dates 1867-2017 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
The obverse side includes the effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Canadian artist Susanna Blunt, which had been used on all Canadian circulation coins and many commemorative issues since 2003.
| Denomination | Metal | Weight | Diameter | Quality | Mintage |
| 10 Dollars | .999 Silver | 15.8 Grams | 34 mm. | Proof & colour | 25,000 pieces |
After this first issue, the Royal Canadian Mint will continue the series with twelve more coins released monthly; they will include:
- Kayaking on the River (August 2016)
- Lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove (September 2016)
- Great Blue Heron (October 2016)
- Canola Field (November 2016)
- Float Planes on the Mackenzie River (December 2016)
- Grizzly Bear (January 2017)
- Panmure Island (February 2017)
- Aurora Borealis at McIntyre Creek (March 2017)
- Wild Swift Fox and Pups (April 2017)
- Peyto Lake (May 2017)
- Iceberg at Dawn (June 2017)
- Drum Dancing (July 2017)
The series is available as a subscription to Canadian and US addresses only. For more information on these and other coins offered by the Royal Canadian Mint, please visit its Web site.
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