$2 circulation coin celebrating
victory of HMS Shannon over USS Chesapeake is the first salvo in a
commemorative circulation coin program also honouring Brock,
Tecumseh, de Salaberry and
Secord
OTTAWA, June 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Two hundred years after the
start of the conflict in 1812, the Royal Canadian Mint is proud to
announce the launch of a series of five new commemorative
circulation coins celebrating the 200th anniversary of
the War of 1812. The first of these coins, which begins
circulating today, is a two-dollar
circulation coin commemorating HMS Shannon, famed for its
defeat and capture of the USS Chesapeake and its escort of
the American war prize into Halifax harbour.
This historic naval battle in June
1813 resulted in the death of 23 Shannon crewmen.
Graves of fallen crewmen are marked in the Royal Navy Burying
Ground and at the Old Burial Ground, administered by St. Paul's Church in Halifax. Shannon's bell is currently on
display in Halifax at the Maritime
Museum of the Atlantic.
"The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to celebrate Canada's history, culture and values through
inspirational coins and we are delighted to join Canadians in
celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 by launching a new
series of commemorative circulation coins dedicated to these
pivotal moments in early Canadian history," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal
Canadian Mint. "The two-dollar
circulation coin featuring HMS Shannon's dramatic victory at
sea allows Canadians far and wide to collect a coin as prized for
its visual beauty as for its historical meaning."
"Honouring the bicentennial of the War of 1812 with this special
circulation coin pays tribute to some of our greatest national
heroes and a crucial moment on the road to Canadian nationhood,"
said the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance and Minister
responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our government
encourages Canadians to take this unprecedented opportunity to
learn more about our history and take pride in our traditions by
collecting these exciting new circulation coins from the Royal
Canadian Mint".
Key historical figures which influenced the successful fight for
Canada in the War of 1812 will
also be honoured on four new 25-cent
circulation coins to be released later in 2012 and 2013. Our
ancestors who valiantly defended British North America and ushered
200 years of peace on the North American continent will be
represented by: General Sir Isaac
Brock, Chief Tecumseh, Charles de
Salaberry and Laura
Secord. The designs of these coins will be revealed in
conjunction with their official circulation date, from 2012 to
2013.
Limited to a mintage of five million coins, the HMS
Shannon two-dollar
commemorative circulation coin begins circulating on June 18, 2012. The public is encouraged to
look for it in their change, exchange it on-line at
www.mint.ca/1812, or visit one of the Mint's boutiques in
Ottawa, Winnipeg or Vancouver to trade in their loose change
(Please see attached backgrounder for further
information).
In January 2012, the Mint also
dedicated its annual silver dollar collector coin to the
200th anniversary of the War of 1812. It can still
be purchased in proof and brilliant uncirculated finishes, and with
selective gold-plating available exclusively in the 2012 Fine
Silver Proof Set, from www.mint.ca; the Mint's boutiques in
Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver; and through our network of
distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets. These
products can also be ordered by directly contacting the Mint at
1-800-267-1871 in Canada and
1-800-268-6468 in the US.
More collector products inspired by the 200th
anniversary of the War of 1812 will be available as of July 2012, as well as in future product launches
this year and in 2013. Those wishing to be among the first to
receive news of these new products are encouraged to sign up for
the Mint's e-mail newsletter at
www.mint.ca/store/mint/customer-service.
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
Backgrounder
2012 $2
COMMEMORATIVE CIRCULATION COIN:
200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR OF 1812
"HMS SHANNON"
In June 1813, Captain Philip Broke, Commander of the HMS
Shannon, was eager to secure a victory for the British Navy,
which had suffered a series of single-ship combat defeats at the
hands of the United States.
Challenging the USS Chesapeake off the New England coast,
both ships met with guns at the ready. The battle lasted only 11
minutes, but the decisive victory helped to bolster the confidence
of the British Navy, especially at the sight of the captured
Chesapeake being escorted into Halifax harbour by a triumphant HMS
Shannon.
The reverse image of the 2012 two-dollar circulation coin commemorating the
200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the influential
role of the HMS Shannon was designed by Nova Scotian artist
Bonnie Ross. It depicts HMS
Shannon leaving Halifax Harbor to do battle on the Atlantic
at the height of the historic conflict between Great Britain and the United States.
Spanning the entire face of the coin, are docks and buildings of
early 19th-century Halifax Harbor on the left side, with
Citadel Hill visible in the distance. On the far right, a tall ship
sails across the well-defended harbour. The brass-plated centre of
the coin contains a starboard-side portrait of HMS Shannon
rendered in elaborate detail, sails fully unfurled and filled by a
steady westerly wind, jib boom and bowsprit pointed out to sea.
Engraved at the base of the outer ring is the original
figurehead from HMS Shannon's bow. The rest of the
ring features "The War of 1812/La guerre de 1812" and "HMS
Shannon", as well as the initials of the artist. This coin
maintains the security-features of the Mint's new multi-ply plated
steel two-dollar circulation coins,
namely: two laser-engraved maple leaves at the bottom of the coin;
a virtual image of two maple leaves at the top, and the words
"CANADA - 2
DOLLARS" struck along its edge.
The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II by Susanna Blunt, as well as the
Government of Canada's official
commemorative symbol for the 200th anniversary of the
War of 1812.
Only five million of these commemorative circulation coins have
been produced. Canadians can find them in general circulation
as of June 18, 2012, or obtain
limited quantities through an online coin exchange at
www.mint.ca/1812.
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint
Image with caption: "Mr. Kirk
MacRae, Member of the Royal Canadian Mint Board of Directors
and Halifax artist Bonnie Ross unveil the 2012 two-dollar circulation coin commemorating the
200th anniversary of the War of 1812, designed by Ms. Ross, at the
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site (June
18, 2012). (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mint)". Image available
at:
http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120618_C9951_PHOTO_EN_15248.jpg