Royal Canadian Mint Releases 2012 Georgina Pope $5 Silver Coin

The Royal Canadian Mint have launched their latest tribute to brave and pioneering Canadians with the issue of this commemorative coin to mark the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Georgina Pope (1862 – 1938) who is noted with serving with distinction as a Nurse in the Boer War as well as the First World War.

She was born in Prince Edward Island and, after qualifying as a Nurse in 1899 – having completed her studies at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, she volunteered for services during the second Boer War in South Africa with the rank of Lieutenant. Having spent more than a year at the front of the Boer War, Pope was awarded the Royal Red Cross for having served with distinction and was appointed Canada’s First Matron of the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1908. Pope is also credited with being one of the first women of her day who were given a military rank as well as the salary attributed to that rank. When Pope died on the 6^th June 1938, she was granted a full military funeral. Georgina is one of fourteen figures from Canada’s military history commemorated at the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa.

The 2012 Georgina Pope $5 Silver Coin, designed by Laurie McGraw, depicts Pope in her full military uniform and wearing the Royal Red Cross order given to her in 1908. Pope’s portrait is full facing and positioned to the left half of the coin with additional images of women serving in Canada’s Military from Pope’s era to contemporary servicewomen. The coin’s denomination of “FIVE DOLLARS” is placed just under the three portraits of the servicewomen. The obverse of the coin includes the current circulation type portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II designed by Susanna Blunt and in use on Canadian Coinage since 2003.

Struck to proof quality, the pure silver coin weighs 23.1 grams and has a diameter of 36 mm. A total mintage of 10,000 pieces has been authorized.

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/fine-silver-5-coin-georgina-pope-mintage-10000-2012-prod1550006 International orders fulfilled.