History of The Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint stands as a pinnacle of technological advancement in the minting industry, renowned for its production of gold coins with exceptional purity levels.
Pioneering Purity in Gold Coins
Striking coins with .9999 fine gold and .99999 fine gold content, it sets a standard with its “four nines” and “five nines” gold coins, ranking among the purest globally. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, emblematic of the Mint’s prowess, holds a prominent status among gold coins.
Early Origins and the Gold Rush Influence
Established as a branch of Britain’s Royal Mint in Ottawa, Canada, its legacy traces back to the gold rushes of the Yukon and British Columbia, culminating in the striking of its inaugural Gold Sovereign in 1908.
Canada Gold Sovereigns
Characterized by a portrait of King Edward VII and St. George slaying the dragon, these Gold Sovereigns bear the distinct Canada “C” mintmark, distinguishing them from counterparts worldwide. Notably rare are the 1916 Gold Sovereigns, with only a handful known to exist.
The 1935 Gold Coin Hoard
The Mint’s historical significance extends to the discovery of a hoard of vintage Canadian gold coins in the Bank of Canada’s vault in 1935, sparking global intrigue.
In 1912, the Mint began producing $5 and $10 gold coins with the same weight and purity as the U.S. gold coins of the day. Just recently, a famous hoard of these historic Canadian gold coins surfaced in an unusual place—the vault at the Bank of Canada, where 300,000 gold coins were first sequestered in 1935.
The coins are the vintage Canadian gold coins struck a hundred years ago and denominated in dollars. They’re the 1912, 1913, and 1914 Royal Canadian Gold Hoard $5 and $10 George V coins.
This find shocked the numismatic community, and stackers in Canada immediately snapped up these gold coins. However, there was even more shocking news: the Canadian government announced that the remainder of the coins would be melted after the sale. This find garnered attention around the world, with numerous articles written about the hoard in newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal.
The Royal Canadian Mint’s Innovation
Though production of these $5 and $10 gold coins ceased in 1914, the Mint’s revival in 1967 with the minting of a commemorative $20 Gold Proof marked a significant milestone.
Since then, the Mint has expanded its repertoire, introducing the iconic one-ounce Canadian Gold Maple Leaf in 1979, which has since evolved to include various denominations catering to diverse preferences. Recent years have seen the introduction of high-face value, high-gold-content coins, initiating a global trend towards coins merging legal tender status with intrinsic value.
Gold Maple Leaf Coins
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf was the first gold coin to be minted in high purity of .9999 gold. Introduced in 1979 by the Royal Canadian Mint, the Gold Maple Leaf is 1 Oz. of pure gold with a denomination of $50. The reverse features the Canadian Maple Leaf, while the obverse displays a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Other Gold Canadian Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint is a world leader in the production of high-quality Numismatic And Bullion Gold Coins, including RCM Gold Lunar Coins and RCM gold modern commemoratives.
