Royal Canadian Mint

Royal Canadian Mint
Agency overview
Formed	January 2, 1908
Jurisdiction	Federal government of Canada
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Employees	Approx. 700 (2006)[1]
Minister Responsible	Michael Fortier, Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Agency Executive	Ian Bennett, President and CEO
Parent agency	Canadian Crown
Website
[1]

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM, French: Monnaie royale canadienne) produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. The mint also designs and manufactures: collector coins; gold, silver, palladium, and platinum (1989-1999) bullion coins; customized medals, tokens, trade dollar watches, and, for a brief time, high end jewellery featuring coin designs. It further offers gold and silver refinery and assay services. The RCM is a Crown corporation that operates under the legislative basis of the Royal Canadian Mint Act. All monies in Canada are technically issued with the authority of the Canadian monarch; however, all operations are overseen by the President and CEO, or Master of the Mint, who is the senior executive officer of the organization, reporting to a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services. The mint has been at the forefront of currency innovation. Among the mint's technical innovations have included its plating process, which consists of a multi-ply technology that allows electromagnetic signatures to be embedded in the coins, assuring readability in the coin-processing industries.^[2] Its other innovation was the world's first coloured circulation coin, the 2004 Remembrance Day 25 cent piece, with a red poppy on the reverse. Further innovation was achieved with the adaptation of the Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) technology to coat its dies, extending the life of the die beyond that of past chrome coated dies.^[3] In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint was named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, as published in Maclean's magazine, one of only a handful of Crown corporations to receive this honour.^[4] On October 19, 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint issued ten new collector coins, including 25 cent coin minted to commemorate the 60th wedding anniversary of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; and a 15 dollar sterling silver coin bearing the effigy of Victoria, the first from the series of five coins illustrating the effigies of the previous Canadian monarchs.^[5]

Contents 1 Ottawa facility 2 Winnipeg facility 3 Foreign Coins 3.1 Notable Foreign Coins 4 Master of the Mint 4.1 Board of directors 4.2 2006 Revenues 5 Key changes in currency 5.1 V nickel 5.2 Centennial 5.3 RCMP 5.4 Loonie and Toonie 5.5 Plating 5.6 Millennium 5.7 Commemoratives in the 2000's 5.8 Vancouver Olympics 6 Award winning coins 7 Circulation coin facts 8 Mint marks 9 Notable Medallions 10 Notable Firsts 11 Million Dollar Coin 12 References 13 External links

Ottawa facility

Established as the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, Governor General Grey and his wife activated the presses for the Canadian Mint on January 2, 1908. Three years later, the Refinery would open and in 1915, the Mint chlorine method of gold refining is introduced. The Ottawa facility on Sussex Drive passed into Canadian control in 1931, reporting to the Department of Finance. The mint struck medals for military and volunteer war service between 1945-1947 and began producing commemorative and collector coins during Canada's centennial in 1967. In 1969 the Government of Canada reorganized the Royal Canadian Mint as a Crown corporation. In 2006, the Royal Canadian Mint's new Silver Refinery was commissioned. ^[6] Customers bringing their gold to Ottawa for refining, now have the opportunity to have the silver refined too.

Winnipeg facility

In November of 1960 the Master of the Mint, N.A. Parker, had advised the Minister of Finance that there was a need for a new facility. It was recognized that there was a need to have an additional facility to produce coins. The Philadelphia Mint produced some 10-cent coins and all numismatic coins were produced in Hull, Québec. The facility in Ottawa served as a refinery. In 1963 and subsequently, in 1964, the Government discussed the possibility of producing a new facility, which would be functional within 2 years. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson actually suggested building the facility in Elliott Lake, Ontario.^[7] Despite these discussions, nothing had yet occurred. A 1968 study indicated that the Ottawa Mint facility was truly antiquated. When the Royal Canadian Mint became a Crown Corporation in 1969, the belief was that a decision would be reached. Ironically, there was no need for a new facility because most of the workload was a carryover from the high demand of 1968.^[7] Funds had been allocated to a new facility, but no real planning had begun. Once more, the emphasis was to search for a facility in Ottawa. Initially, the first consideration was to replace the existing facility altogether. In May 1969, the idea flickered out. It was decided that the Royal Canadian Mint would keep the historic building but have a new facility for the manufacturing of circulation coins. The Federal Government of the time, led by Pierre Trudeau, decided to decentralize many public services. The result was a claim for restitution from the province of Manitoba, complaining about its loss of many military bases.^[7] In February 1970, Supply and Services Minister James Richardson, the Minister responsible for the RCM, proposed the possibility of a new facility in Winnipeg. This proposal was cause for debate because it was legally stipulated that the RCM was unlike any other government operation and that money should be produced in Canada’s Capital Region. Another point of tension was that the Cabinet Minister was from Winnipeg. The belief was based on logistical philosophies. Plants that are over 1,000 miles apart would endure communication and distribution difficulties.^[7] A study had shown that the division had merit because raw materials could be purchased from a supplier in Alberta, rather than a competitor outside of Canada.^[7] Eventually, it was agreed upon in December 1971 that the RCM would build a facility in Winnipeg. The land was purchased in 1972 and construction began at the end of the year. Upon completion, it was very clear that this new facility was completely different from the facility in Ottawa. Architect Etienne Gaboury designed a striking sight with its triangular form soaring above the flat prairie. (Note: E. Gaboury was Design Architect; Number Ten Architectural Group was Project Architect.) The RCM facility in Winnipeg started to manufacture coins and the facility was officially opened in 1976. The Winnipeg branch of the Royal Canadian Mint allowed Ottawa to concentrate solely on collector coins while the Winnipeg mint would produce the entire supply of circulation coins.

Foreign Coins

Many foreign countries have had coinage struck at the Royal Canadian Mint, including circulation coins, numismatic coins, and ready to strike blanks. The customers have included governments, central banks, and treasuries. In 2005 alone, the RCM manufactured 1.062 billion coins and blanks for 14 countries.^[8] From 1980-2005, the RCM has manufactured approximately 52 billion coins for 62 countries.^[9] These coins are manufactured at the Royal Canadian Mint's facility in Winnipeg. Part of the Winnipeg Mint’s legacy is its role in producing the circulation currency of other nations. Anyone, who has ever seen a 20-cent Australian coin with a platypus on it, would not be surprised to know that the Winnipeg Mint had a hand in its production. If it was minted in 1981, the Winnipeg plant produced 50,000,000 of them that year.^[10] The platypus coin merely scratches the surface of what has been a proud role. The Royal Canadian Mint has produced coinage for over 74 countries: Centavo’s for Cuba, Fils for Yemen, Pesos for Colombia, Kroner for Iceland, Rupiah for Indonesia, Baht for Thailand, and a thousand-dollar coin for Hong Kong. Other nations include Barbados and Uganda. The Winnipeg production branch of the Royal Canadian Mint is definitely one of the largest and most elaborate minting operations in the world.

Notable Foreign Coins

• In 1997, the Royal Canadian Mint produced a Commemorative Gold Coin, issued by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to mark the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997. The Gold Coin bore the standard Bauhinia design on the obverse side, with a special commemorative design of the Hong Kong skyline on the reverse side. The Gold Coin is legal tender with HK$1,000 face value.^[11] The Royal Canadian Mint item number was 621307 and sold to Royal Canadian Mint customers for $738.00 CDN funds.
• Two years later, the Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority of Macau commissioned the Royal Canadian Mint to create a commemorative coin to recognize the transfer of the Macau region to the People’s Republic of China. The coin is sterling silver and featured a gold cameo. The face value is 100 patacas and had a diameter of 31.103 mm and a weight of 38 grams. The Royal Canadian Mint item number is 644309 and the issue price is $102.00. The coin features a Portuguese ship and a Chinese barque sharing coastal waters. The historic Ma Gao Temple (Pagoda de Barra) appears in the cameo.

Master of the Mint

Traditionally, the President of the Royal Canadian Mint is affectionately known as the Master of the Mint. The current president is Ian Bennett (appointed in 2006), and the Chairperson of the Board is Max C. Lewis (also appointed in 2006). The Chief Engraver is Cosme Saffioti, who follows Ago Aarand, Walter Ott, Patrick Brindley, Myron Cook, and Thomas Shingles. The government department responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint is the Department of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities, led by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon. There are 10 members that comprise the Board of Directors, and 13 members that comprise the Executive Team.^[12] The Royal Canadian Mint's business lines are structured into four divisions: Bullion products and refinery, Canadian Circulation Coins, Foreign Circulation, and Numismatics.^[13] A listing of all the Masters of the Mint is as follows:

Name	Term
James Bonar	1908–1919
Arthur H.W. Cleave	1919–1925
John Honeyford Campbell	1925–1937
Henry Edward Ewart	1938–1944
Alfred Percy Williams	1946–1947 (acting)
Walter Clifton Ronson	1947–1953
Alfred Percy Williams	1954–1959
Norval Alexander Parker	1959–1968
E.F. Brown	1968–1970 (acting)
Gordon Ward Hunter	1970–1975
Yvon Gariepy	1975–1981
D.M. Cudahy	1981–1982 (acting)
James C. Corkery	1982–1986
M.A.J. Lafontaine	1986–1993
M.R. Hubbard	1993–1994
Danielle Wetherup	1994–2002
Emmanuel Triassi	2002–2003 (acting)
David C. Dingwall	2003–2005
Marguerite Nadeau	2005–2006 (acting)
Ian Bennett	2006—

^[7]

Board of directors

Name	Year Appointed
Max C. Lewis	2005
Ian Bennett	2006
Richard Kwan	2005
Keith Meagher	2005
Ghislain Harvey	2003
Louis Proulx	2001
Darcia G. Schirr	2005
James B. Love	2006
Susan Dujmovic	2006
Kirk MacRae	2007
Claude Bennett	2007

2006 Revenues

Revenue by Segment

Business Line	Revenue (in millions)
Canadian Circulation	131.2
Foreign Coin	25.3
Cdn. numismatic	56.7
Bullion and Refinery	280.7

In 2006, the RCM generated revenue of $493.9 million and earned net income of $11.2 million. It had also delivered $93.1 million in seignorage to its shareholder - the Government of Canada. ^[14]

Key changes in currency

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Coins of the Canadian dollar. ()

V nickel

World War II saw low mintages of most coins, as the metals (especially copper and nickel) were needed for the war effort. The composition of the 5 cent coin was changed to tombac in 1942; and the design was changed to a V for Victory in 1943. The composition was changed again to nickel-chromium-plated steel in 1944. The criteria for the V design came from Winston Churchill's famous V sign, and the V denomination mark on the US 5-cent pieces of 1883-1912.^[15] A novel feature was an inscription of morse code on the coin. This International Code message meant "We Win When We Work Willingly" and was placed along the rim on the reverse instead of denticles.^[16] The regular reverse and composition were resumed in 1946. Chromium-plated steel was again used for the 5 cent coin from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War, but the reverse was unchanged.

Centennial

In 1967, the Mint introduced a series of commemorative coins in honour of the Canadian centennial. Designed by Alex Colville, every coin produced that year featured a creature that is native to Canada—a rock dove on the 1 cent coin, a rabbit on the 5 cent coin, a mackerel on the 10 cent coin, a Lynx on the 25 cent coin, a howling wolf on the 50 cent coin, and a Canada goose on the dollar. A commemorative gold 20 dollar coin was also struck for collectors' sets, with a coat of arms on the reverse. It is worth noting, that the Royal Canadian Mint actually wanted to commemorate Canada's 60th anniversary in 1927 with variant coin designs.^[7]

RCMP

The Royal Canadian Mint has continued to be at the forefront of placing commemorative coin designs in circulation. In 1973, the usual 25-cent coin reverse was replaced with a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer astride a horse, to celebrate the centennial of the founding of the North West Mounted Police (now the RCMP).

Further information: Royal Canadian Mint RCMP coins

Loonie and Toonie

The major change to Canadian coinage in the 1980s was the introduction of a circulating 1 dollar coin, widely known as the Loonie because of the common loon gracing its reverse. (A Voyageur canoe had been planned initially, but the master dies were lost in shipment between Ottawa and Winnipeg, so a new design was necessary.) This coin was introduced in 1987 and almost immediately met with poor favour by Canadians. It did not become widely accepted until the 1 dollar banknote was withdrawn from circulation, which began in February 1989. Thereafter, the coin became widely, if reluctantly, accepted. In 1996, a 2 dollar circulating coin (known widely as the Toonie) was introduced, featuring a polar bear on the reverse, and the 2 dollar banknote withdrawn. It too was met with reluctant acceptance by the vast majority of Canadians. The 2 dollar coin was also a first for the mint in that it used a bi-metallic structure—the centre of the coin is bronze-coloured and the circumference is nickel-coloured.

Plating

Further innovation occurred in 1999, when the Royal Canadian Mint laid the groundwork for its new plating process. The efforts reached fruition in 2001 when circulation coinage was issued with their new Multi-Ply Plated steel blanks. As of 2001, all circulation coins (excluding the one-cent piece) have a Mint Mark with a P on the obverse of the coin. The plating process is acid based and electroplates a thin coating of nickel, then copper, then nickel again on to a steel core.^[17]

Millennium

While the Royal Canadian Mint was perfecting its plating process, it was busy giving Canadians the opportunity to be part of its Millennium coin project. A contest was held in which Canadians could submit artwork and a group of winners would be selected to have their coins featured on commemorative 25-cent pieces. A total of 24 winners was selected. There would be 12 coins in 1999 (one for each month of the year) and 12 coins in 2000 (again, one for each month of the year). All winners had their initials appear somewhere on the coin.^[18] The coins for 1999 represented Canadian achievements and milestones, while the coins released in 2000 featured Canadians vision of their culture and their hopes for the future. The demand for these coins were extremely high. The total mintage for the 1999 Circulation Coins was 258,888,000. Amazingly, the total mintage in 2000 was higher. An incredible 435,751,000 coins were minted.

Commemoratives in the 2000's

The practice of commemoratives became more popular in the 2000s, with numerous circulating commemorative one-dollar and 25-cent coins, a commemorative 10 cent coin in 2001 and a commemorative 60th anniversary Victory nickel in 2005. Criticism has arisen, however, that the Mint has issued so many recent commemoratives that Canadians are oversaturated with, and blasé about them. In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mint made numismatic history by issuing the world's first coloured circulation coin. The coins were produced at the Royal Canadian Mint's Winnipeg plant. The technology involved the utilization of a high-speed, computer-controlled and precision inkjet process. Approximately 30,000,000 coins went into circulation in October 2004, with Tim Horton's donut chain assisting with the distribution. Although innovative in its use of coloring, was also criticized because the colour wore off too quickly.

Vancouver Olympics

In 2006, a partnership was reached with the Vancouver Olympic Committee, in which it was annoucned that the RCM shall produce commemoratives for the event. The non-circulating legal tender commemorative coins will have a face value of $25, a Canadian first. ^[19] With regards to the circulation coins, one of the novelties is that D.G. Regina will be removed from the Queen's effigy, making the 25-cent coins the first "godless circulating coins" since the 1911 issue of King George V. ^[20] The first circulating $1 coin will be dated 2008 but the obverse will be the standard effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt with the wording "ELIZABETH II" and "D.G. REGINA" with the Circle M privy mark. ^[21] In conjunction with Petro-Canada and the Royal Bank of Canada, commemorative Olympic 25-cent coins will be distributed from 2007 to 2009. The first and second coins for general circulation featured a Curling and Ice Hockey motif. The third coin was made to commemorate the 2010 Winter Paralympics. The reverse featured Wheelchair curling.

• For full details, please see Royal Canadian Mint Olympic coins.

Award winning coins

• 1985 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Coin: 1988 Olympic 20-dollar coin-Downhill Skier (Note: Olympic coins in Canada are usually produced three years prior to the event)
• 1986 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Gold Coin, Theme: 450th Anniversary, Jacques Cartier Voyage of Discovery
• 1988 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Silver Coin, Theme: 400th Anniversary, Davis Passage
• 1989 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Silver Coin, Theme: Bicentennial Voyage of Mackenzie River
• 1993 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Gold Coin, Theme: Antique Autos
• 1994 Coin of the Year, Presented by Munchen Magazin, Best Coin, Theme: Anne of Green Gables
• 1996 Coin of the Year, Presented by Munchen Magazin, Best Coin, Theme: 100th Anniversary of Gold found in Klondike
• 1997 Coin of the Singapore International Coin Show, Best Coin, Theme: Haida Contemporative Art
• 1998 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Gold Coin, Theme: Alexander Graham Bell
• 1998 Most Popular Coin, Presented by World Coin News, Most Popular, Theme: Two-dollar coin with Polar Bear Design
• 1999 International Hologram Manufacturers Association and Holography, Category: Excellence in Holographic Production, Theme: 20th Anniversary Gold Bullion Maple Leaf coin
• 2000 Most Popular Coin, Presented by World Coin News, Most Popular, Theme: 125th Anniversary of RCMP
• 2000 Most Technologically Advanced Coin, World Mint Directors Conference 2000, Theme: $20 coin featuring Hologram cameo on the Transportation Series
• 2000 Coin of the Year, Presented by World Coin News, Best Gold, Theme: Mother and Child
• 2002 Coin of the Year, Asia Money Fair, Theme: Asian Symbols Five Blessings Commemorative Set^[22]
• 2006 Most Innovative Coin of the Year, World Mint Directors Conference 2006, Theme: Coloured 25-cent Poppy Coin^[23]

Circulation coin facts

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Coins of the Canadian dollar. ()

• The History of Queen Elizabeth II's Effigy

1953 - The rise of a new Monarch resulted in a numismatic controversy. The Laureated Bust of the Queen's Effigy had a high relief resulted in the appearance that there was no shoulder strap on the Queen's Effigy. Reworking by the Master Engraver of the Royal Canadian Mint resulted in the appearance of a shoulder strap, hence, the terms "NO SHOULDER FOLD" and "SHOULDER FOLD" 1965 - Starting in 1965, the Effigy of Her Majesty the Queen underwent the first of three changes. This new obverse featured the Queen with more mature facial features. The wearing of a tiara was the other aspect of the new effigy. 1990 - A new obverse debuted with the Queen now wearing a diamond diadem and jewellery. Although the effigy changed in 2003, this crowned portrait is still used on all Chinese Lunar New Year coins. 2003 - To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty the Queen, a new obverse was introduced. The unique feature of this effigy was that the Queen was now featured without a crown. This would mark the first time that a Monarch did not have a Crown in their effigy since her father King George VI.

• Maple Leaf Issue 1947

The British Empire's decision to grant India its independence created a unique problem for the Royal Canadian Mint in early 1948. The effigy of His Majesty would be altered to reflect the change. No longer would the phrase "ET IND:IMP" (meaning Emperor of India) be visible on the effigy. This resulted in the production of new Master tools, but they would not arrive for a couple of months. Despite this, there was still a demand for circulation coins. The Mint had no alternative but to strike coins with the date of 1947 with the effigy bearing an out of date title. As a means of distinguishing between the original strikings of 1947, a small maple leaf was placed after the date. Once the Master tools were received with the phrase "ET IND:IMP" removed from the effigy, the 1947 Maple Leaf coinage no longer continued. For the remainder of the year, all coins that were produced had the new effigy and the appropriate date, 1948, on its reverse. All 1948 coin denominations are key dates, with the 1948 silver dollar being especially rare.

• Missing Loonie

1997 - Between 1997 and 2001, the One Dollar Loon coin was not issued for general circulation. Due to the high demand for the Two Dollar Polar Bear coin (mintages between 1997 and 2001 were as high as 29 million in 2000 alone), the Loon was only available in the standard collector sets that were made available on an annual basis, such as the Uncirculated, Oh Canada, Specimen and Proof sets.

• New Mint Mark in 2006

In an effort to build the brand, the Royal Canadian Mint implemented a policy in which all its circulation and collector coins would bear a new Mint Mark. Unveiled at the Canadian Numismatic Association convention in Niagara Falls, Ontario in July 2006, the Mint Mark was a reproduction of the Royal Canadian Mint logo. The first circulation coin to bear the new Mint Mark was the 10th Anniversary Two Dollar coin, illustrated by Tony Bianco. This would mean that the "P" Mint Mark which recognized the plating technology would no longer be used. For collectors, the first collector coin to feature the new Mint Mark was the Snowbirds Coin and Stamp Set. <1> NOTE: An anomaly occurred in August 2006, when some 5-cent pieces appeared with no Mint Mark whatsoever.

• No Shoulder Fold vs. Shoulder Fold

In 1953, a new Monarch meant a new Effigy. Due to an issue with the portrait model for the new Queen Elizabeth, two obverse varieties, termed the No Shoulder Fold and the Shoulder Fold obverses were found in circulation during 1953. The portrait model was prepared in England by a sculptress, Mary Gillick. The relief of this model was too high. This had an impact on the new effigy because the centre portion containing two lines on the shoulder (representing a fold in the Queen's gown) did not strike up well on the coins. This obverse had been termed the "No Shoulder Strap" variety by numismatists. Later in 1953, Mint authorities decided to correct the defects in the obverse design. Thomas Shingles, the Chief Engraver of the RCM, was summoned to lower the relief of the model. The result was that he had strengthened the shoulder and hair detail. This revised obverse (often called "The Shoulder Strap" variety due to the resemblance of the lines to a strap) was introduced before the end of the year. This was accepted as the standard obverse. Unfortunately, the No Shoulder Fold obverse saw new life as it was used to produce some of the 1954 cents for the Proof-like sets and a small quantity of 1955 cents for ciruclation. The 1955 No Shoulder Fold Variety is the most desired with collectors. NOTE: The best way to tell the difference is to look at the letter "I" in DEI. On the No Shoulder Fold Obverse, the I points between two rim denticles. On the Shoulder Fold Obverse, the letter "I" points at a rim denticle.

• Rarest Canadian Coin

In the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, a 1911 coin is valued at $1 000 000. There are only 2 known specimens in sterling silver, and one specimen in lead. One of the silver specimens and the lead specimen are located at the Bank of Canada's currency museum, while the other is in a private collection. The 1911 coin sets were originally planned to include the $1, but the sets came with an empty gap where the $1 coin was supposed to be.

• Rarest Canadian Circulation Coin

Among numismatists, the 1921 50-cent coin is considered the rarest Canadian circulation coin. In the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins 2006 Edition, a 1921 coin in MS-63 condition is valued at $125,000. <2> Despite a mintage of 206,398 coins, there was a very low demand for 50-cent coins in the 1920s. The belief is that most of the 50-cent coins from 1920 and 1921 were melted (amounting to approximately 480,392 coins). <3> The reason for the melting was that new coins were needed for 1929 and if coins from 1920 and 1921 were released into circulation, people would suspect counterfeit coins. According to legend, only 75 of these coins still exist, and most of those are from Specimen Sets that were sold to people who visited the RC Mint.

• Trivia
• The first commemoratives were planned for 1927 to celebrate Canada's 60th Anniversary. A contest was held and the winners were Gustav Hahn for the one-cent, and J.A.H. MacDonald for the five and twenty-five cents. The RCM decided to not turn the designs into coinage.^[7]
• When coinage was changed in 1937, the caribou was planned for the 5-cent coin, the Beaver was planned for the 10-cent coin, and the Bluenose was planned for the 25 cent coin.^[7]
• Lowest mintage of the post WW II era was the 1991 25-cent coin. Its low mintage attributed to a work stoppage. The mintage was 459,000.^[24]
• The name of the ship on the 2004 twenty-five piece to commemorate Acaide was "La Bonne-Renommée"^[25]
• Victory Nickel

(Tombac 1943-1944) (Steel 1944-1945) The five-cent piece underwent a design change for the first time since 1937 when the Beaver was first introduced. The new reverse featured a striking V design. In the interest of promoting the war effort, the famous V sign from Winston Churchill was adopted. Perhaps, the most unusual aspect of this coin was the Morse Code. The meaning was "We Win When We Work Willingly". It is not uncommon that the edge of the Steel versions of the V Nickel were known to rust. Due to high demands for copper and zinc during the war effort, the use of Tombac was suspended. A new composition of steel with .0127 mm plating of nickel and .0003 mm plating of chromium was now the norm. <4> Unfortunately, the plating process of these coins meant that strips had to be plated before blanks were punched out. The end result was that the edges of the blanks were unplated. Although the RCM would return to nickel after WWII, the Korean war effort resulted in the use of steel again in 1951. Some of the steel coins were later discovered to have only the nickel plating and had a grey rather than the usual "bluish" appearance. Until recently, this variety did not command a premium price from collectors, but the fact that some years are rarer than others has started to generate interest in this variety.

Mint marks

• A – Used on 2005 Palladium Test Coin to signify the coins were struck from Lot A.
• B – Used on 2005 Palladium Test Coin to signify the coins were struck from Lot B.
• C - Placed on sovereigns produced at the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint, between 1908 and 1919.
• Dot – In December of 1936, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in favour of his brother, who would become King George VI. The problem was that the Royal Mint was designing the effigy of King Edward VIII and now a new effigy would need to be created. The 1, 10 and 25 cent pieces in 1937 would be struck from dies with a 1936 date on the reverse. To distinguish that these coins were issued in 1937, a Dot Mint Mark was placed on the 1936 dies, and could be found beneath the year. These coins fulfilled demand for coins until new coinage tools with the effigy of King George VI were ready. While the 10 and 25 cent coins are more common, the 1 cent coins are rare, with about a half-dozen known to exist. The dot after the date on the 1937 5 cent is a mint error caused by a chip in the master dies.

• H – Used to identify coins that were struck for Canada by the Birmingham Mint, also known as the Heaton Mint, until 1907.
• Innukshuk - All circulation coins for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics have the Innukshuk Mint Mark on the Obverse of the coin.
• International Polar Year - The obverse of the 2007 International Polar Year $20 Numismatic Coin has the logo for the International Polar Year on the obverse of the coin.
• Maple Leaf – All coins with a Maple Leaf Mint Mark were struck in 1948 due to an emergency with coin toolage. The granting of India’s independence resulted in the removal of IND:IMP (meaning Emperor of India) from King George VI’s effigy. Due to the demand for circulation coins in 1948, coins for 1948 could not be struck until the new tools were received. The new tools would have the IND:IMP removed from them. In the meanwhile, coins were produced in 1948 with a year of 1947 on them. A small Maple Leaf Mint Mark was struck beside 1947 on the reverse of all coins to signify the year of production.
• P – From 2001-2006, most one cent, five cents, ten cents, twenty-five cents, and fifty cents issued for circulation were struck with a P Mint Mark to represent the Royal Canadian Mint’s plating process.
• Paralympic Logo - All circulation coins for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games have the Paralympic Games logo on the Obverse of the coin.
• RCM Logo – At the CNA Convention in July 2006, the RCM unveiled its new Mint Mark to be used on all circulation and numismatic coinage. The agenda behind the implementation of this new Mint Mark was to help increase the RCM’s image as a brand. The aim of the logo is to educate coin users and coin collectors, respectively, that the RCM is minting Canada’s coins. The first Circulation Coin to have this new Mint Mark is the 10th Anniversary Two-Dollar coin. The first Numismatic Coin to have this new Mint Mark is the Snowbirds Coin and Stamp Set.^[26]
• T/É - In an effort to push the standard of quality higher, the RCM started to experiment with a gold bullion coin that would have a purity of 99.999%. The result was a Gold Maple Leaf Test Bullion coin with the Mint Mark of T/É (to signify Test/Épreuve). The date on the obverse of the coin was 2007 and it had a mintage of 500.
• Teddy Bear - When the RCM released its Baby Lullabies and CD Set, a sterling silver one dollar coin was included in the set. The one dollar coin included a mint mark of a teddy bear.
• W - Used occasionally on specimen sets produced in Winnipeg, starting in 1998.
• W/P - Used on the Special Edition Uncirculated Set of 2003. The W mint mark stated that the coin was produced in Winnipeg and the P states that the coins are plated.

Notable Medallions

• In 1983, the RCM issued a medallion to commemorate Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The composition of the medal is 50% pure silver and has a diameter of 36mm. The coin had a production limit of 100,000 and its issue price was $24.50.
• The RCM created a medallion to honour Elvis Presley. The medal features the word Graceland (above an image of the mansion and its gates) and an actual denomination of $10. The reverse of the medal features an engraving of Elvis, along with the words The Man/The Music/The Legend. The medallion itself is undated, but as the medal is 10 ounces, one would assume that it was made for the 10th anniversary of the singer's death. Additional information can be found in the Certificate of Authenticity which states that this Elvis Presley medal was authorized by Legendary Coins and struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. The packaging bears a copyright date of 1987, and states that the medal is for commemorative purposes only and is not legal tender. ^[27]
• Medallions honouring hockey legends have been created. To commemorate Mario Lemieux's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, a special set honouring all the inductees was issued in 1997. In 1999, a nickel medallion was issued to honour Wayne Gretzky's retirement. The issue price was $9.99 with a mintage of 50,000.

Notable Firsts

• 1st Colour 1999 20th Anniversary GML – 5 coin set^[28]
• 1st Hologram 1999 – GML Hologram Set - 5 coin set^[29]
• 1st Irregular Shaped Coin 2006 – Square Sterling Silver Beaver
• 1st Coloured Coin using Plasma Technology- Commemorative $20 Plasma Coin for the International Polar Year
• 1st Million dollar face value coin - 100kg 99.999 pure gold

Million Dollar Coin

On May 3, 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled Gold Maple Leaf a coin with a face value of One Million Dollars. The weight of the coin is 100 kilograms and the artist was Stanley Witten. The coin is mainly a promotional product to give the RCM a higher international profile. The 100-kilogram coin was conceived as a showpiece to promote the RCM's new line of 99.999 per cent pure one ounce Gold Maple Leaf bullion coins. The coin is only made to order and so far 5 have been produced as of September, 2007. It is not 'struck' like a conventional coin but is instead cast then machined to the right size and shape. The coin drew many comparisons with an oversized coin from Austria, a 100,000-euro gold coin, worth about C$153,000. The Austrian coin is 37 centimetres across and weighs 31 kilograms.^[30]

References

External links

• Royal Canadian Mint's Official Website
• Royal Canadian Mint Act
• Canadian Numismatic Association
• Numismatic Network Canada
• Canadian Coin News
• Royal Canadian Mint press release FTP site, [2] or ftp to ftp.mint.ca username=communications, password=RCM2007, ftp username and password published on the Royal Canadian Mint web site [3] on May 42007

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