OTTAWA,
Sept. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The Royal
Canadian Mint is pleased to release new collector coins which
continue to celebrate Canada's
unique historical and natural heritage, as well as its rich
cultural fabric. This latest issue of finely crafted
collectibles includes a 99.999% pure gold tribute to the
200th anniversary of the death of War of 1812 hero Sir
Isaac Brock, a stunning array of
gold and silver coins celebrating the Asian Lunar Calendar's Year
of the Snake, a special edition uncirculated set featuring new 2012
$1 and $2 circulation coins, and the latest addition to
our best-selling 25-cent painted
Birds of Canada series.
"The events and symbols which define the Canadian
experience continue to inspire an endless variety of finely crafted
collector coins," said Ian E.
Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
"The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to showcase themes that capture
Canada's history, culture and
values on coins which are sought the world over for their
craftsmanship, design and innovation."
As Canadians far and wide mark the 200th
anniversary of the War of 1812, this historical turning point
reminds us of the heroic figures whose brave acts assured the
defense of a future Canada.
One of the best known was Sir Isaac
Brock, who died on October 13,
1812 while leading his troops to victory in the Battle of
Queenston Heights over American invaders. Inspired by the design of
a commemorative half-penny token issued in Upper Canada in 1816, two cherubs placing a
wreath over an urn marking the date of Brock's death, are framed by
the immortal tribute of "The Hero of Upper Canada". This exquisite coin is
made from the purest gold in the world, refined to 99.999% purity
and is limited to only 1,000 examples world-wide.
The Mint is also pleased to continue the popular
celebration of the Lunar New Year
with new gold and silver coins featuring the upcoming Year of the
Snake, whose symbol is commonly attributed to strong individuals
destined for success. This new series of coins includes a
99.99% pure gold $5 1/10 oz. coin; an
18-karat gold $150 gold coin; 99.99%
pure silver coins with $10 and
$15 face values, as well as a pure
silver scallop-shaped coin with a $15
denomination.
The 2012 Special Edition Uncirculated Set features
all three $1 circulation coins issued
this year: a new Lucky Loonie offered as a good luck charm to our
athletes competing at the London
2012 Games; another Loonie honouring the 100th Grey
Cup®; as well as the new circulation coin heralding a
new era in Canadian circulation coinage by featuring multi-ply
plating technology and advanced security features. Its
$2 circulation counterpart is also
included in this special coin set.
Completing this latest collector offering is
another installment in the wildly popular series of 25-cent painted Bird of Canada series, featuring the Evening Grosbeak,
a golden resident of Canadian skies, admired across the North
American continent for its bright plumage as well as its song.
Mintages, pricing and full background information
on each product can be found at the "Shop" tab of www.mint.ca.
All of these products are available today, directly
from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at
www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian
Mint's boutiques in Ottawa,
Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as through our global
network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada
Post outlets.
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.
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint