OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mint is
pleased to honour Canada's iconic
"penny" circulation coin, whose production officially ended on
May 4, 2012, with an exquisite array
of fine silver and gold collectibles, as well as gift products,
which pay respect to the penny's unforgettable legacy as both a
pillar of Canadian commerce and an integral part of our cultural
history. These limited-edition products include a miniature pure
gold coin; a selectively gold-plated silver coin; a five-ounce
silver coin; and a five-coin set of fine silver "penny-sized" coins
showcasing the evolution of one-cent
circulation coin designs since the Mint first opened for business
in 1908. Launch plans for the last one million pennies
produced for circulation will be announced at a later date.
"After helping satisfy the needs of Canada's trade and commerce since
Confederation, the Canadian penny is retiring with honour and
distinction thanks in part to the launch of beautiful gold and
silver collector products commemorating this historic coin," said
Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of
the Royal Canadian Mint. "The maple leaf design of the penny became
a Canadian icon 75 years ago and we are proud to celebrate it on
new collector products which are as unforgettable as the coin which
inspired them."
All of these products 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. Please see attached backgrounder for further
product information.
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
Images of the Mint's newest collection are available by
visiting
ftp://communications:RCM2007@ftp.mint.ca.
Backgrounder
THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT'S "FAREWELL TO THE
PENNY" COLLECTOR COINS
On May 4, 2012, the
striking of Canada's last
one-cent circulation coin marked the
end of an era in Canadian coinage history. Despite its
changing role as a tool of Canadian commerce, the penny remains a
vibrant part of our language and popular culture. By
appearing on all one-cent circulation
coins from 1937 to 2012 except for the celebration of Canada's 1967 Centennial, the iconic maple
leaf design of the penny is one of the most enduring symbols of
Canada and the Royal Canadian Mint
is pleased to capture it on an impressive assortment of finely
crafted collector coins.
The Mint's farewell tribute to the penny begins
with a 1/25 ounce, 99.99% pure gold coin featuring the timeless
maple leaf design created by artist George
Edward Kruger-Gray in 1937. The image of two upright
five-lobed maple leaves, one slightly overlapping the other,
appears on the reverse of this classic coin, along with the date of
the penny's last production, "2012," its face value, and the word
"CANADA". The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Limited to a world-wide mintage of only 12,000 examples, this coin
retails for $124.95 CDN. This
coin is also featured in exclusive jewelry products consisting of a
ladies' pendant and men's cufflinks, both set in sterling silver
and retailing for $229.95 and
$299.95 CDN respectively.
Another stunning take on the penny's signature
design graces the reverse of a half-ounce 99.99% pure silver coin
with a one-cent denomination.
G.E. Kruger-Gray's maple leaves, selectively plated in pink gold,
leap from the mirror-like surface of this proof silver keepsake
measuring 34 mm in diameter (nearly twice the size of a regular
penny). Only 30,000 of these 2012-dated coins are available
world-wide, each retailing for $54.95
CDN.
An even more striking tribute consists of a
five-ounce, 65mm-wide, 99.99% pure silver coin capturing every
detail of the G.E. Kruger-Gray penny design. Through boldly
contrasting finishes, its frosted maple leaves and twig stand out
from the coin's richly textured background. Uniquely
denominated at one cent in face
value, this coin also has an exclusive mintage of only 1,500
examples world-wide and retails for $495.95
CDN.
The final homage to our one-cent circulation coin is a five-coin fine
silver set which takes us back to the penny's Canadian beginnings,
when Lady Grey, wife of
then-Governor General of Canada Earl Grey, struck our first
domestically-produced penny at the opening ceremony of the Mint's
Ottawa facility on January 2, 1908. The coin has since undergone
five design changes, each of which appears on individual 99.99%
pure silver coins, each the same diameter as a regular penny.
Each coin also features the effigy of the monarch who reigned at
the time of their issue. Limited to 5,000 sets whose certificate
recounts the entire history of Canada's penny, this product celebrates the
pennies of 1902-10; 1911-20; 1920-1936; 1937-2012: and the
exceptional 1967 Rock Dove design by legendary Canadian artist
Alex Colville, commissioned for the
celebration of Canada's
centennial. Presented in a luxurious beauty box, these sets
retail for $149.95 CDN.
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint