July 8, 2010 – On June 25, 2010, the world’s largest gold coin, a 2007 Canadian $ 1,000.000 Maple Leaf was auctioned at Vienna’s Dorotheum. It realized 3.270 Mio. Euro.
Michael Beckers, numismatist of Vienna’s Dorotheum, and the world’s largest gold coin. © Dorotheum.
This coin breaks all records: It weighs a staggering 100 kilos and measures 53 cm in diameter. But the most remarkable thing about this impressive coin, which cannot even be lifted by two men, is that it is made exclusively of the purest, finest and most refined gold: 999.99/1000 gold.
The world record-breaking coin, which is also listed in the current edition of the Guinness Book of Records, bears the image of Elisabeth II, the largest official portrait of the Queen in solid gold. The back shows three maple leaves, the national symbol of Canada, where the coin was minted. The face value of $ 1 million is far below the current gold price. The starting price was based on the daily gold rate.
This gigantic Maple Leaf was on loan to the Coin Cabinet of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, which houses one of the largest numismatic collections in the world. Where the new owner of the coin will store this precious object, is unknown.