Posts Tagged ‘Royal Canadian Mint’
A sneak peek at next generation coinage courtesy of The Royal Canadian Mint
It is always exciting to see new, innovative products coming out of the numismatic industry, and there is nothing quite like the test token set issued by the Royal Canadian Mint’s Research and Development lab. When you see this set it’s no surprise that the Royal Canadian Mint is a market leader in security. Looking to be at the forefront of new minting technologies this latest collection showcases some never before seen minting techniques which are guaranteed to impress both seasoned and budding collectors alike.
So what exactly is a ‘test token’ I hear you ask? A test token is a prototype of next generation currency, and is created purely to test new technologies and minting techniques before giving the green light to produce future coins with the technology. Since the tokens are test pieces their designs and technologies will not necessarily be replicated in future currency, perhaps only some of the techniques or designs will be taken forward,so the test pieces are one of a kind.
Chief Technology Officer at the Royal Canadian Mint, Dr Xianyao Li, says “the products in our R&D Lab Collection are tried,tested and true examples of forward-thinking technology that could re-define the future of domestic and foreign coins.”
Now we’re suitably intrigued about the new technologies featured in the set, let’s take a closer look at the tokens…
Pie-Chart
At first glance this perhaps looks to be the most unassuming token of the set, but looks can be deceiving as this token is an example of the advances currently being made in coin production to prevent counterfeiting. If you inspect the surface of the coin closely you will notice it resembles a pie-chart, with the surface subtly split up in to segments which are only just distinguishable. The slices are differentiated by the orientation and size of micro text which varies between segments. Micro text is one of the advancements in minting technology which has emerged in the last few years with the aim of preventing counterfeit coins, as the tiny text is difficult to replicate. Not only is the text extremely difficult to reproduce, it is also virtually indiscernible to the naked eye!
Caribou and Moose
The Caribou and the Moose instantly spring to mind when contemplating iconic Canadian imagery, so it would seem only natural they make an appearance in this set. Each token is crafted from multi-ply plated steel and includes both raised and incused maple leaf designs, instantly creating a noticeably three-dimensional textured surface. The depictions of the creatures on each coin have micro text hidden in their fur as an added security feature, and the maple leaf above the shoulder of each creature is also composed of micro text.
Leaf
The maple leaf is synonymous with Canada and is instantly recognisable as one of its national symbols dating back to the 18th century. Considering this it is unsurprising then that The Royal Canadian Mint also uses this iconic leaf as its logo, creating a strong identity link between country and coinage. Two pieces in the set celebrate the maple leaf with both sides of the tokens featuring raised and incused leaves in a circular pattern with the Royal Canadian Mint’s logo at the centre. The combination of raised and stamped elements create a unique texture on the token which adds an extra layer of security because forgers will struggle to perfectly mimic it in counterfeits.
Tri-metal
The clue is in the title with this one, as it has been produced from a Canadian patented tri-metal compound, consisting of a carefully balanced combination of multi-ply plated steel, brass plated steel, nickel plated steel and copper plated steel. Complex multi-metal compound technology is a security feature to prevent counterfeiting as the exact compound composition is patented and unknown so cannot be easily recreated in a replica.
Own a piece of history in the making
What makes this test token set truly remarkable is the fact that pieces included in the set are the real trial pieces which have been used in calibration and laboratory testing, so each one has been tried and tested making the collection truly unique – no two will be the same!
If you’re interested…
You can now own a piece of numismatic history in the making as we have secured 149 of these unique sets from the Royal Canadian Mint. Be ahead of the curve and add this sneak peek at the next generation of coinage to your collection today!
Click here to order this fantastic set >>>
The talk of the 2015 World’s Fair of Money…
At this year’s American Numismatic Association World Money Fair in Chicago there is one coin everyone is talking about – the world’s first maple leaf-shaped coin.
The Cut-Out Silver Maple Leaf coin is already 92% sold worldwide
Struck by The Royal Canadian Mint for Modern Numismatics International, this impressive Fine Silver $20 Coin is shaped like Canada’s iconic maple leaf and has such intricate engraving you can even see the veins in the leaf itself.
The Canadian Mint are known for their innovation and this is new release is no exception.
But it doesn’t stop there. They have even created a bespoke red maple leaf-shaped box complete with viewing window to add to the coins appeal.
Perhaps unsurprisingly this coin is set to be one of the fastest selling issues of 2015, with the Mint selling out of their allocation in 2 days.
The show ends on Saturday but this is certainly a coin that will be sought-after by collectors for many months to come.
It’s not too late…
The Westminster Collection has secured a limited stock of these stunning coins and you can add one to your collection today.
But you’ll have to be quick, it’s unlikely this opportunity will come up again.
5 coins that show why collectors are turning to Canada…
Did you know today is Canada day? 148 years ago Canada became a country in its own right. Whilst the anniversary may be a bit of a stretch for us to celebrate, we can certainly appreciate the work of the Royal Canadian Mint over the last few years. Here are just 5 of my favourite coins, each of which demonstrates why Canada is now a world leader in numismatics…
A first for the Royal Canadian Mint… 
The beautiful detail of this coin makes it one of my favourites and is without a doubt a numismatic masterpiece. The 2015 5oz silver Maple Leaf is the first ever 5oz coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint to feature a hologram. The maple leaf is the quintessential national symbol of Canada and this coin is the latest to be released as part of their popular annual 5oz Maple Leaf release. Each coins hologram has been individually struck directly onto the coin resulting in an extremely precise and detailed finish. 90% of the worldwide 1,500 edition limit has been sold already – which isn’t all that surprising considering it is 1,000 coins less than last years sell-out 5oz issue!
The start of a remarkable collecting story… 
Canada’s early history is one of exploration and discovery. This ‘Voyageur’ 3 coin set tells a truly fascinating story about Canada’s heritage and to me there is nothing better than owning a coin that depicts a significant part in the history of a country. The ‘Voyageur’ is the design that depicts Canada’s humble beginnings which was shaped by explorers and native aboriginals. This set pays special tribute to the iconic Canadian ‘Voyageur’ Dollar. An original 1935 dollar, the 75th anniversary issue, and the $20 for $20 canoe tribute are included in this 3 coin set. The edition limit for this special numismatic set is just 495 worldwide. This is testament to just how hard it is to acquire these three coins together.
The coin with a hidden message…
Just 495 limited edition sets were issued to mark the 70th Anniversary of VE Day. The set includes an original Victory nickel coin and the new 2015 5-Cent victory coin. The new 2015 5-cent coin is almost twice the size of the original and struck in pure silver with selective gold-plating. I consider these coins to feature one of the most interesting and carefully thought out designs. If you look closely you can see The Morse code has been carefully engraved around the edge of the reverse of the coins.
Cutting edge in coin security… 
Limited to 2,500, this coin is another example of the craftsmanship and design expertise of the Royal Canadian Mint. The Silver Maple Leaf coin is issued annually but not only does it radiate elegance, it sports an advanced micro engraved design that is only visible under magnification. The design is textured which enables the coin to achieve a light-diffracting effect, in my opinion this intensifies user experience. The illuminating effect this coin portrays makes it a stunning creation and offers the perfect mix of collectible beauty and investment appeal.
Already set to be the best selling coin of 2015…
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Flag, so to celebrate the Royal Canadian Mint has increased the face value of their usual $20 coins to $25 and issued the design in full colour. The red and white Maple Leaf flag beautifully captures such an important anniversary for Canada and guarantees to increase interest for collectors of Canadian coins. The Fine Silver Canadian Flag Coin coin is already set to be the best selling coin of 2015 for the Royal Canadian Mint and limited to just 1,500 pieces, it is almost certain to be a sell-out.
These are just a handful of the fascinating coins issued by The Royal Canadian Mint, all of which differ in size, colour and age. It is a day like today that makes me appreciate the creativity and effort put into the coins issued by the Royal Canadian Mint since they were founded in 1908.
If you’re interested….
The Westminster Collection has limited stock of these issues available to order today.