May 30, 2013 – Canadians have countless ways to define their identity; from proud historical moments to fond memories of outdoor life. All of these stories are captured on the Mint’s latest offering of finely crafted collector coins which include vivid portrayals in pure gold, silver and platinum of the pitched ocean battle between HMS Shannon and USS Chesapeake at the height of the War of 1812, as well as fine silver coins celebrating the joys of summer of Canada with idyllic scenes of a fishing family and fun at the cottage. Natural themes are also present, along with new coins celebrating Canada’s rich heritage by commemorating the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and celebrating the addition of Asian traditions to Canadian culture.
“The Royal Canadian Mint is known world-wide for crafting coins which stand out for their rich designs and exceptional quality and we are proud to delight our customers with spectacular new pieces of numismatic art with uniquely Canadian stories to tell,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “After registering record collector coin sales in 2012, we are pleased to attract new fans in Canada and around the world, and we are committed to expanding the horizons of our numismatic program to get more of the world’s best coins into the hands of more satisfied customers.”
On June 1, 1813, HMS Shannon, commanded by Captain Philip Broke, clashed with USS Chesapeake 40 kilometres east of Boston in a battle which would sway the morale of Royal Navy grappling with a string of recent losses to U.S. warships. Captain Broke and his outnumbered crew’s determination to restore the pride and confidence of the Royal Navy brilliantly defeated and captured USS Chesapeake in one of the bloodiest naval battles of the War of 1812. The epic scene of the height of battle is dramatically recreated by artist John Horton on three new coins preserving this turning point in history on new 5 oz., 99.99% pure gold and silver coins, as well as on a very limited mintage of 1 oz., 99.95% pure platinum coins.
After 200 years of peace on the North American continent, the mood has considerably lightened with a pair of fine silver coins celebrating fun and relaxation on Canada’s countless lakes and waterways. The newest release of the $10 fine silver Canada series pays tribute to the great Canadian tradition of cottage living with artist Claudio D’Angelo’s portrayal of dockside swimmers, a Muskoka chair, a canoe and the classic waterfront cottage. Artist John Mantha captures the priceless serenity of a father and child fishing from a dock, with the loyal family dog at their side, on a 99.99% pure silver coin with a $3 face value.
In keeping with its trademark pursuit of innovation, the Mint also features impressive technology on several new coins including a selectively coloured $10 fine silver Canadian Tiger Swallowtail …
… and a 50-cent silver-plated coin of the same design from a new Butterflies of Canada series, as well as a selectively gold-plated fine silver kilo coin featuring the Maple Leaf Forever.
Canada’s cultural diversity inspires many outstanding coin designs and the Mint’s latest expressions of this theme celebrate the unique heritage of Chinese Canadians. Adding to this popular series is a new Blessings of Peace $150 face-value, 99.999% pure gold lotus- shaped coin featuring a dazzling phoenix and the Chinese symbols for peace.
A Maple of Peace fine silver coin features the Mint’s newest design of a maple leaf hologram radiating from the back of an ornately decorated Asian elephant.
Adding a regal touch to the Mint’s latest release of collector coins is a specimen-finish, 25-cent cupro-nickel coin honouring the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It features a vivid colour reproduction of a masterpiece by Canadian painter Phil Richard, who was hand-picked by Her Majesty to paint her official Canadian Diamond Jubilee portrait. Part of the original work, which measures over three metres in height, is captured on a richly coloured 35 mm coin showing Queen Elizabeth II posing at Rideau Hall, with a portrait her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria in the background.
The Mint’s latest offering concludes with a new series of 99.99% pure silver coins celebrating different perspectives on the majestic Bald Eagle. The first coin in the series features the dramatic profile of a Bald Eagle’s head whose feathers are engraved to stunning detail. The coin is also edge-lettered with “1 OZ FINE SILVER 1 OZ ARGENT PUR”.
More information on these products can be found on the on the Royal Canadian Mint website.
On the battle between HMS Shannon and USS Chesapeake you can find many interesting material here and here.