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From 2000 to 2019, there were various technological achievements in Canadian coin minting. The first RCM gold coin to be directly laser etched was the $100 Gold Leduc Oil Fields coin from 2002.[1] The technique would later be used for the 2003 $100 Gold Marquis Wheat coin and the 2004 $20 Iceberg coin. In 2001, the RCM achieved innovation with the 2001 Marconi $5 silver coin. It was the first RCM coin to include a direct lasered finish.[2] One of the technological breakthroughs for the RCM involved the 2006 Canadian Achievement series silver coin featuring Colonel Chris Hadfield. It was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software.[3]
The Northern Lights $20 silver coin was the first RCM hologram coin to feature a hologram without a raised border and, therefore, no delineation.[4] The hologram merges with the engraved relief of the mountains. In 2006, the $30 Canadarm coin was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software.[5] Technically, it was a complex design to render, due to the depiction of the closed glass visor and the complicated features of the Canadarm.
The first collector card that was issued was to commemorate the creation of a new effigy for her majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 and a redemption was offered in Chatelaine magazine. In 2004, to commemorate the Acadie 25-cent coin. One card was included with every phone order after the launch of the commemorative coin. With the release of the Lucky Loonie, a third collector card was created. To procure a card, customers had to go on the RCM website and place a request online. A total of 23 collector coin cards have been released to date, mostly selling online for substantially more than they were when originally released.
2003
Queen's Effigy
2004
400th Anniversary of Acadia (quarter)
Lucky Loonie
Poppy (quarter)
2005
Alberta Centennial quarter
Saskatchewan Centennial quarter
Terry Fox loonie
Victory nickel
Year of the Veteran quarter
2006
10th Anniversary toonie
Lucky Loonie
Medal of Bravery (quarter)
Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer quarter
2007
Vancouver Olympics (15 quarters, 2 loonies)
2008
400th Anniversary of Quebec (toonie)
2010
Poppy (2004, 2008, 2010 quarters)
2011
Legendary Nature (toonie, loonie, 3 coloured and 3 non-coloured quarters)
2012
War of 1812 (toonie, 8 coloured and 8 non-coloured quarters)
50th Anniversary of the Canadian Flag (1 coloured, 1 non-coloured)
Definition of finishes
Bullion
Brilliant relief against a parallel lined background
Proof
Frosted relief against a mirror background
Specimen
Brilliant relief on a satin background
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 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.
06SFS
Used to describe the rare 2006 $50 Four Seasons 5-ounce silver coin. Only 2000 were minted.
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
Man Becomes Mountain
(Symbol of Paralympics)
All circulation coins for the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics have the Paralympic Games logo 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 to 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.
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.[6]
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.
References
^The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.17
^The CN Journal:The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Volume 53, No. 1, January/February 2008, p.18
^The CN Journal:The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Volume 53, No. 1, January/February 2008, p.19
^The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.18
^The CN Journal, The Official Publication of the Canadian Numismatic Association, Markham, Ontario, Vol. 53, No. 1, January–February 2008, p.19
