The Silver Maple Leaf's obverse and reverse display, respectively, the profile of Charles III and the Canadian Maple Leaf. In 2014, new security features were introduced: radial lines and a micro-engraved laser mark.[2]
Information
The Silver Maple Leaf is issued annually by the Government of Canada. Introduced in 1988 by the Royal Canadian Mint, there have been four subsequent standard editions and several special editions.
The Silver Maple Leaf's obverse displayed the profile of Elizabeth II up until 2023. There have been three subsequent versions of the Queen's profile:
The Silver Maple Leaf's reverse displays the Canadian Maple Leaf. This design has remained unchanged since 1988. In 2014, however, new security features were introduced: radial lines and a micro-engraved laser mark. Also the obverse was affected by this.
The phrases CANADA and FINE SILVER 1 OZ ARGENT PUR are universal elements.
Granted a face value of 5 Canadian dollars, the Silver Maple Leaf has status as legal tender. It has also a market value that depends on the spot price of silver and that normally exceeds the nominal face value. With few exceptions and alike similar international bullion coins, the Silver Maple Leaf has a weight of 1 troy ounce (31.10 grams). The 99.99% silver content makes the coin among the finest official bullion coins worldwide.
Samples of the Silver Maple Leaf often carry a blemish that has a milky-white appearance, called a milk spot. This happens when a cleaning detergent is left on the coin when it goes into the annealing furnace.[citation needed]. This issue was addressed in 2018 with the RCM introduction of "MINTSHIELD" surface protection technology to prevent milk spots.[3]
The Silver Maple Leaf was originally packaged in Mylar. Since 2009, due to increasing demand, it is packaged in semi-transparent tubes with a yellow lid bearing the RCM logo. Some special editions have tubes with an orange, red, blue, dark blue or grey lid. Each tube contains 25 coins.[4] Furthermore, there exist boxes that contain 20 tubes each.
The issue from the year 2000 was sold as an uncirculated bulk coin yet bears the Fireworks privy mark on it. It is re-listed in the special privy mark section below but is still essentially part of the standard bullion series.
Special editions
Special editions may, in this article, be divided into the following subcategories:
Commemorative editions
Editions with special privy marks
Fractional editions
Editions with nature-related themes
Coloured and hologram editions
In 1998, marking the 10th anniversary of the Silver Maple Leaf series, a single-issue 10-ounce version was produced. The Silver Maple Leaf (SML), a staple of pure silver bullion, was only produced in 1oz coins. It was only for the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the SML, that a reverse proof 10oz Silver Maple Leaf was struck. Unfortunately, due to price ($200, silver spot ~$6) and lack of interest, the planned 30,000 10oz SMLs were not sold out, and more than half were taken back for melting. Their cases were also recycled for one of the 2004 2oz bimetallic coins that the RCM issued. This is also the reason that some of the silver COAs will number above 14,000, though only around 13,000 of the coins survived.
In 1999, many Silver Maple Leaf coins were issued with a privy mark to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the RCM Maple Leaf Program. In the following year, the coins featured a privy mark with fireworks and the number 2000. Another Silver Maple Leaf version was issued to commemorate the millennium. The coins were double-dated 1999 and 2000.[11]
Some of the privy-marked Silver Maple Leaf versions were available only in Europe.[citation needed] In 2005, the Liberation of the Netherlands triple privy silver Maple Leaf—the rarest of all Silver Maple Leaf coins—was struck by the Royal Canadian Mint for the Royal Dutch Mint. The first coin produced by the facility, graded SP70 on the Sheldon scale, was to be presented to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
In 2005, The Royal Canadian Mint issued The North America LEGACY of LIBERTY pure silver commemorative coin set, with two coins dated 2004 and two coin dated 2005. Also included in the set was the first poppy colourized quarter (2005), a Royal Canadian Legion symbol of remembrance, hope, and sacrifice. Three 1oz pure silver maple leaf coins with privy marks were made: Victory Europe Day - May 8, 1945 (2005), Victory Japan Day - September 2, 1945 (2005) and D-Day - June 6th 1944 (2004), with only 4200 sets being minted.[citation needed]
There are also special edition R.C.M. coins called the 'Maple Leaf Forever' series, with there being three maple leaf symbols on the reverse. The mint has minted 100,000 of this design in 1/2 oz .9999 fine silver coins and 200 strikes of the same design in a large 60mm diameter .9999 fine gold coin. Many other Royal Canadian Mint coins feature maple leaf symbols, such as the $20 for $20 series, the 'Piedfort Maple' series, the 5 oz silver 25th anniversary coins, 1 oz silver 25th anniversary coins with gold guild clad (an identical coin is minted in 1 oz of .9995 fine platinum) and fractional 25th anniversary coins in silver and gold. There are also the 1kg $250 coins 2011–2015 with mintage numbers 999, 1200, 600, 600, 500 respectively.
2 other series noted by argent pur signa include the SML edge lettering 20 coins which includes:
Reverse Proof; Released in tribute to Irish Canadians for St. Patrick's Day 2016.
2016
Bigfoot
RCM engravers
50,000
$23.89
Reverse Proof; Released by Provident Metals and inspired by the Patterson-Gimlin film of Bigfoot
2016
ANA World's Fair of Money in Anaheim, California Poppy
RCM engravers
6,000
CAD79,95
Reverse Proof; Released for 2016 ANA Money Fair in Anaheim, California commemorating California's state flower, the Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
2017
Panda privy mark
RCM engravers
50,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Panda Privy Maple series based on the 1983 Gold Chinese Panda coin. Coin features a Privy of a Panda standing beside its favourite food bamboo. APMEX.com exclusive
2017
150th Anniversary Logo & 1867-2017 Dual Dates
RCM engravers
150,000
$25.00
Reverse Proof; Sesquicentennial of the Confederation of Canada. Privy mark on left side of leaf stem is the stylized official "Canada 150" anniversary logo; Privy mark on the right side of leaf stem shows dual dates "1867-2017"
2017
Cougar privy mark (commemorating 2011 Canadian Wildlife series coins)
Pierre Leduc (Reverse), RCM engravers (obverse)
50,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. This is the 3rd coin of the 6 coin set.
2017
Moose privy mark (commemorating 2011 Canadian Wildlife series coins)
RCM engravers
50,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. This is the 4th coin of the 6 coin set.
2018
Pronghorn Antelope Privy (commemorating 2011 Canadian Wildlife series coins)
RCM engravers
50,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. This is the 5th coin of the 6 coin set.
2018
Wood Bison Privy (commemorating 2011 Canadian Wildlife series coins)
RCM engravers
50,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. This is the 6th coin of the 6 coin set.
2018
ANA Privy Mark: The Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel
RCM Engravers
6,000
N/A
Reverse Proof; Originally sold in a RCM Black Box with Red Clamshell, includes a CoA.
2018
Light Bulb (Edison Series?)
RCM engravers
50,000
$25
Reverse Proof; Released by Manfra, Tordella and Brookes (MTB)?
2019
Phonograph (Edison Series?)
RCM engravers
50,000
$25
Reverse Proof; Released by Manfra, Tordella and Brookes (MTB)?
2020
"W" mint mark
Walter Ott (reverse); Susanna Blunt (obverse)
10,000
$99.95 CAD
Presented in a RCM branded clamshell with a black beauty box. Features a "W" mint mark and a Burnished finish. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
2021
"W" mint mark
Walter Ott (reverse); Susanna Blunt (obverse)
8,000
$99.95 CAD
Presented in a RCM branded clamshell with a black beauty box. Features a "W" mint mark and a Tailored specimen finish. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
2024
First Strikes: Polar Bear Privy mark
Walter Ott, RCM engravers (reverse); Steven Rosati (obverse)
25,000
$59.95 CAD
First bullion strikes featuring His Majesty King Charles III, sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. Encapsulated in a premium card.
2024
First Strikes: Congratulations Privy mark
Walter Ott, RCM engravers (reverse); Steven Rosati (obverse)
25,000
$59.95 CAD
First bullion strikes featuring His Majesty King Charles III, sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. Encapsulated in a premium card. A Privy mark of Fireworks can be seen on the coin.
2024
First Strikes: Year of the Dragon Privy mark
Walter Ott, RCM engravers (reverse); Steven Rosati (obverse)
25,000
$59.95 CAD
First bullion strikes featuring His Majesty King Charles III, sold directly from the Royal Canadian Mint. Encapsulated in a premium card.
4 Coin Set – 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz - different reverse picture on every coin
2005
Lynx
Michael Dumas
15,000
$89.95
4 Coin Set – 1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz - different reverse picture on every coin
2015
Bald Eagle
Derek C.Wicks
7,500
$199.95 CAD
4 Coin Set—1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz - the same reverse picture on every coin
2016
The Wolf
Pierre Leduc
7,500
$199.95 CAD
4 Coin Set—1 oz, 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz - the same reverse picture on every coin
Canadian Wildlife Series
Year
Description
Artist
Mintage
Issue Price
Description
2011
Silver Timber Wolf
William Woodruff
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin. The RCM did not issue any proof versions for this series
2011
Silver Grizzly
William Woodruff
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin
2012
Silver Cougar
William Woodruff
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin
2012
Silver Moose
William Woodruff
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin
2013
Silver Pronghorn Antelope
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin
2013
Silver Wood Bison
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin
Birds of Prey Series
Year
Description
Artist
Mintage
Issue Price
Description
2014
Silver Peregrine Falcon (proof)
Emily S. Damstra
20,000
$89.95
1 oz coin. Proof frosted version sold directly from the RCM
2014
Silver Peregrine Falcon (bullion)
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2014
Silver Bald Eagle (proof)
Emily S. Damstra
7,500
$89.95
1 oz coin. Proof frosted version sold directly from the RCM
2014
Silver Bald Eagle (bullion)
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2015
Silver Red-Tailed Hawk (bullion)
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2015
Silver Great Horned Owl (bullion)
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
Predator Series
Year
Description
Artist
Mintage
Issue Price
Description
2016
Silver Cougar
Emily S. Damstra
1,000,000
Bullion Value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2017
Silver Lynx
Emily S. Damstra
500,000
Bullion Value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2018
Silver Wolf
Emily S. Damstra
300,000
Bullion Value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
2019
Silver Grizzly
Emily S. Damstra
500,000
Bullion Value
1 oz coin. Regular Legal Tender bullion version
Canadian Arctic Series 1½ oz
Year
Description
Artist
Mintage
Issue Price
Description
2013
Silver Polar Bear (proof)
Germaine Arnaktauyok
17,500
$124.95
Proof version sold directly from the RCM. 11⁄2 oz coin
2013
Silver Polar Bear (bullion)
Germaine Arnaktauyok
500,000
Bullion value
11⁄2 oz coin. Regular bullion version
2014
Silver Arctic Fox (proof)
Maurice Gervais
7,500
$89.95
The proof version of this coin is 1 oz and not 11⁄2 oz
2014
Silver Arctic Fox (bullion)
Maurice Gervais
500,000
Bullion value
11⁄2 oz coin. Regular bullion version
2015
Silver Polar Bear and Cub (proof)
Susanna Blunt
7,500
$89.95
The proof version of this coin is 1 oz and not 11⁄2 oz
2015
Silver Polar Bear and Cub (bullion)
Susanna Blunt
500,000
Bullion value
11⁄2 oz coin. Regular bullion version
Other Silver Maple Leaf coins
Year
Description
Artist (reverse, obverse)
Mintage
Issue Price
Description
2004
Sambro Island Lighthouse
Hedly Doty and William Woodruff
18,476
$69.95
1 oz coin in box, face value $20
2005
Toronto Island Lighthouse
Brian Hughes and William Woodruff
13,812
$69.95
1 oz coin in box, face value $20
2006
Silver Timber Wolf
William Woodruff
106,800
Bullion value
1⁄2 oz coin
2010
Silver Piedfort
Royal Canadian Mint Engravers, Susanna Blunt
9,000
$79.95 CAD
1 oz coin in box - first ever pure silver piedfort coin featuring Maple Leaf design
2011
Maple Leaf Forever
Debbie Adams, Susanna Blunt
999
$2,195.95
1-kilogram coin, $250, proof, in a maple wooden box
2014
Bullion Replica
RCM engravers, Susanna Blunt
20,000
$79.95 CAD
Premium version of the popular Silver Maple Leaf bullion design, no privy mark, 1 oz coin in box
2014
High Relief Maple Leaves
Luc Normandin, Susanna Blunt
2,500
$519,95
5-ounce coin, $50, matte proof, in red lacquer-box
2015
Lustrous Maple Leaves
Michelle Grant, Susanna Blunt
1,500
$519,95
5-ounce coin, $50, proof, first-ever 5 oz. silver coin to feature a hologram, in red lacquer-box
2016
Superman Silver Bullion Coin
N/A
1,000,000
Bullion value
Version of the popular Silver Maple Leaf bullion design, with security privy mark - tiny maple leaf with 16 in the centre. 1 oz legal tender coin with radial lines on both sides. Instead of Maple Leaf on the reverse there's Superman's signature - "S-Shield".
2017
Canada 150 - Canadian Icons
Tami Mayrand, Susanna Blunt
1,500
$519,95
5-ounce coin, $50, proof, a collage of red-coloured icons form a maple leaf (with official Canada 150 privy mark)
2017
Magnificent Maple Leaves
Celia Godkin, Susanna Blunt
N/A
bullion value
10-ounce coin, $50, encapsulated bullion coin
2017
Maple Leaf Quartet
Celia Godkin, Susanna Blunt
7,500
$204.95 CAD
4 square coins, 4 x $3, reverse proof, all 4 coins together display a big maple leaf
The Krugerrand is a South African coin, first minted on 3 July 1967 to help market South African gold and produced by Rand Refinery and the South African Mint. The name is a compound of Paul Kruger, the former President of the South African Republic, and rand, the South African unit of currency. On the reverse side of the Krugerrand is a pronking springbok, South Africa's national animal.
The Royal Canadian Mint is the mint of Canada and a Crown corporation, operating under the Royal Canadian Mint Act. The shares of the Mint are held in trust for the Crown in right of Canada.
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (GML) is a gold bullion coin that is issued annually by the Government of Canada. It is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.
Palladium coins are a form of coinage made out of the rare silver-white transition metal palladium. Palladium is assigned the code XPD by ISO 4217. The first palladium coins were produced in 1966.
The coins of Canada are produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and denominated in Canadian dollars ($) and the subunit of dollars, cents (¢). An effigy of the reigning monarch always appears on the obverse of all coins. There are standard images which appear on the reverse, but there are also commemorative and numismatic issues with different images on the reverse.
The American Buffalo, also known as a gold buffalo, is a 24-karat bullion coin first offered for sale by the United States Mint in 2006. The coin follows the design of the Indian Head nickel and has gained its nickname from the American Bison on the reverse side of the design. This was the first time the United States government minted pure (.9999) 24-karat gold coins for the public. The coin contains one-troy ounce (31.1g) of pure gold and has a legal tender (face) value of US$50. Due to a combination of the coin's popularity and the increase in the price of gold, the coin's value has increased considerably. The initial 2006 U.S. Mint price of the proof coin was $800. In 2007 the price was $899.95, $1,410 in 2009, and $2,010 in 2011.
One of the most profitable aspects of the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) is its numismatic product line. The first numismatic coin from the RCM was arguably the 1935 dollar commemorating the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty King George V. Though intended for circulation, it was the first Canadian coin commemorating an event. The decision to issue this coin was made in October 1934 by then-Prime Minister R.B. Bennett. There were economic and patriotic motivations for the release of a silver dollar, including a hope to boost the silver mining industry. In future years, the silver dollar would have a more emotional meaning for many Canadians because it was also the first coin to have the Voyageur motif on its reverse.
Since the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, the Royal Canadian Mint has struck Summer and Winter Olympic coins to mark Games held in Canada.
The Canadian silver dollar was first issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1935 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. The coin's reverse design was sculpted by Emanuel Hahn and portrays a voyageur and a person of Indigenous descent paddling a birch-bark canoe. The faint lines in the background represent the Northern Lights. The voyageur design was used on the dollar until 1986. It was then replaced with the 1987 Canadian 1-dollar coin. 1967 marked the end of the silver dollar as a business strike, or a coin issued for circulation. After 1967, the dollar coin was made of nickel, except for non-circulating commemorative issues for the collector market, which continue to contain silver.
Although the first Olympic coin can be traced back to 480 BC, the modern Olympics did not see its first commemoratives until 1951. The original concept of Olympic coins was that the Greeks believed that coins brought the general public closer to the Olympic games. The premise was that those who could not attend the games could at least have a tangible souvenir of the event.
The Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf is the official bullion platinum coin of Canada. First issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1988, it was available until 2002 in five different denominations, all of which are marked as containing .9995 pure platinum. The bullion coin was partly reintroduced in 2009 in the form of the 1 troy ounce denomination in .9999 purity, featuring a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. The coins have legal tender status in Canada, but as is often the case with bullion coins, the face values of these coins is lower than the market price of the material they are made from.
One of the most highly profitable aspects of the Royal Canadian Mint's enterprise is in its Numismatic product line. The euphoria surrounding the year 2000 led to the birth of the Millennium 25-cent coin program. The numismatic line included proof quality coins sold individually or as a complete set. This level of excess would come to signify the coming decade. The number of numismatic releases would increase on an annual basis starting in 2003. Numismatic three cents, five cents, and ten cents would be introduced, along with numismatic three dollars and eight dollars. Luxury coins would not be immune to the dramatic increases that ensued. Coins with face values of 250, 300 and 350 dollars would be introduced by 2006.
The Royal Canadian Mint has made coins with various themes. Most recently, ice hockey has been used for many numismatic releases. The first known ice hockey coin was for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Issued on February 25, 1986, the coin featured a goalie on the coin. Edge lettering was also used for the coin, the first time that it was used on silver coins.
Yvon Gariepy was the President of the Royal Canadian Mint from 1975 to 1981. In later years, he worked for Canada Post. Gariepy was a professional member of the Order of Engineers of Quebec, Professional Corporation of Urbanists of Quebec, Canadian Institute of Planners and the Institute of the Public Administration of Canada.
Starting in 1997, the Royal Canadian Mint started to sell hockey medallions to the public. To commemorate the induction of Mario Lemieux in the Hockey Hall of Fame, a set was issued honouring all three inductees. One set was issued in Sterling Silver while another was issued in Nickel. The success of the release led to future issues.
The Malaysian Kijang Emas is the official gold bullion coin of Malaysia and is minted by the Royal Mint of Malaysia. It was first issued on 17 July 2001. Malaysia is the 12th country in the world to issue its own gold bullion coin.
The Vienna Philharmonic, often shortened to Philharmonic, is a bullion coin of gold, silver, or platinum produced by the Austrian Mint. The coin is named for the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, which inspired the design of both sides. It was introduced in 1989 as a one-troy ounce (ozt), gold coin with a face value of 2,000 Austrian schillings. It is generally one of the world's best selling bullion coins. In 2002, with the adoption of the euro currency, the nominal value of the one-ounce coin was changed to 100 euros. In 2008, the Mint introduced a one-ounce silver version of the coin with a nominal value of 1.50 euros. The silver coin is also one of the top selling bullion coins, ranked third in 2013. In 2016, the mint introduced a one ounce platinum coin with a face value of 100 euros.
The Noah's Ark silver coins are Armenian bullion coins issued since 2011. They are available in various sizes with a fine weight between 1⁄4 ounce and 5 kg in silver of 999/1000 fineness. The 1 troy oz. coin has a nominal value of 500 Drams and is legal tender in Armenia. The coin is produced by the Leipziger Edelmetallverarbeitungs GmbH, an affiliated company of Geiger Edelmetalle. The motif of the coin remains constant, similar to other bullion coins such as the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the American Silver Eagle.
The Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf is the official bullion palladium coin of Canada. It is issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in .9995 purity. The coins have legal tender status in Canada, but as is often the case with bullion coins, the face values of these coins is lower than the market price of the material they are made from. Unlike the gold, silver and platinum maple leaf series, the palladium maple leaf is subject to the GST/HST tax.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
