The Royal Canadian Mint has dropped a new coin that pays homage to one of the country’s most famous children’s novels and its author.
The special one‑dollar circulation coin honours the life of the legendary author L.M. Montgomery, best known for writing Anne of Green Gables.
The Mint officially unveiled the new coin this afternoon in PEI, which is the birthplace of Montgomery and where Anne of Green Gables takes place.
The coin includes a portrait of Montgomery and her signature, as well as patchwork quilts to represent PEI. On the left side, you can see the iconic profile of Anne Shirley, the Anne of Green Gables heroine, with her signature braided hair looking out at the PEI landscape.
Royal Canadian Mint
Artist Brenda Jones created the design and has a unique connection to Anne of Green Gables as her grandparents owned the home associated with the famous story.
The new dollar is limited to a mintage of three million coins, of which two million are coloured and will come into circulation on June 27, so be sure to check your change for this very special piece.
The Mint has also dropped a few other new coins with unique designs.
A special edition silver dollar celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Special Edition Silver Dollar Proof Set – 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (Royal Canadian Mint)
The 99.99% pure silver dollar, which sells for $119.95, includes the identifying badge of the RCAF. The coin’s reverse serves as a visual representation of “a century of history and heritage” that honours the achievements of not only Canadians but also those from around the world who have supported RCAF operations.
The coin is a limited-edition piece, with only 20,000 sets available to collectors worldwide.
Another new silver coin celebrates Canada’s wildlife and features a family of timberwolves.
Pure Silver Coin – Multifaceted Animal Family: Timber Wolves/ Royal Canadian Mint
This 99.99% pure silver coin shows a mother timber wolf as she watches over her three pups. The family of wolves has been rendered in a unique geometric style that highlights a “multifaceted view of the species and the boreal forest ecosystem it inhabits,” notes the Mint. The limited-edition piece has a low mintage with just 4,500 coins created and retails for $209.95.
Fine Silver Coin – The Cycle of Life (Royal Canadian Mint)
Lastly, one of the Mint’s most beautifully designed new pieces celebrates the Kwakwaka’wakw people and their storytelling traditions. This 10 oz.99.99% pure silver coin features an adaptation of an original Kwakwaka’wakw carving of the Salmon, which is “believed to be immortal people who offer themselves up as food, and whose bones are returned to the waters so they may rise again to continue the cycle of life,” notes the Mint.
Only 750 editions of this coin are available worldwide and it retails for $1,129.95.