On January 2, 1908 as an audience of dignitaries looked on, Governor General Earl Grey activated the press to strike a fifty-cent piece, the Dominion’s first domestically produced coin. A few moments later, the Countess Grey closed the ceremony by striking Canada’s first bronze cent.

The Ottawa branch of Britain’s Royal Mint was officially open for business.

In 1931 the heritage building on Sussex Drive, the surrounding land and the entire minting enterprise passed into Canadian hands, making the Mint a wholly Canadian institution.

Today the Royal Canadian Mint is a for-profit Crown Corporation with a mandate to deliver a fair return on investment to its sole shareholder, the Government of Canada.

Coins for the world
The Mint produces all of Canada’s circulation coins as well as coinage for other nations. For its domestic and international clients, the Royal Canadian Mint designs and manufactures collector coins; gold and silver bullion coins; customized medals, tokens and trade dollars; fine watches, jewellery and gifts. The Mint also provides refinery and assay services to customers around the world.