Royal Canadian Mint to issue $1
fine silver coin to celebrate
OTTAWA,
June 25, 2012 /CNW/ - What has 11
sides, is brass in colour, is renowned as a good luck charm and is
celebrating a birthday? Canada's iconic Loonie one-dollar coin is turning 25 on June 30th.
In 1987, Canadians said goodbye to one-dollar banknotes and welcomed the new coin in
their pockets and change purses. The coin was instantly
dubbed the Loonie after the solitary loon that graces the coin's
reverse side. The nickname caught on and Canadians have been using
it ever since.
"When it was first introduced, the one-dollar coin represented the most significant
change to Canada's coinage system
in over 50 years and the Mint proudly played a lead role in making
it a reality," said Ian E. Bennett,
President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Looking back on how
the world has evolved over the past 25 years, the Loonie has
endured as a true Canadian symbol."
To celebrate this milestone birthday, the Mint
has produced a $1 fine silver coin.
This double-dated coin features a new loon design by Ontario artist Robert
Ralph Carmichael, who designed the original Loonie.
Centered around the number "25", two Common Loons swim majestically
past one another, one admiring the Loonie's eventful journey over
the past 25 years while the other looks to the future and the many
adventures to come. Limited to a mintage of only 15,000 worldwide
and retailing for $34.95 CAD, the
coin also features a unique glass bead finish as its
background.
As of July
16th, this coin can be ordered by directly
contacting the Royal Canadian Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in
Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US,
or on the Internet at www.mint.ca. These coins will also be
sold at the Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver as well as through the Mint's global
network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada
Post outlets
To learn more about the history of the
one-dollar coin and to see various
designs which have appeared on its reverse since 1987, please visit
www.mint.ca/loonie25.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for
the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008
certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and
most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of
specialized,high quality coinage products and related services on
an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its
products and services, visit www.mint.ca.
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint
