“The Royal Canadian Mint values the role its collector coins play in showcasing Canada’s vast heritage through precious and unforgettable works of art and craftsmanship,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.

“Collectors from Canada and around the world will find that the Mint’s newest collector coins honour the tradition of celebrating Canada’s defining features through keepsakes of uncompromising quality”.

The following are descriptions of the products now available to collectors and gift givers worldwide.

2010 $10 1/5-OZ PURE GOLD AND 2010 $5 1-OZ PURE SILVER PIEDFORT COINS – MAPLE LEAF

The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to celebrate its expertise and artistry in the field of precious metal refining and manufacturing with a pair of pure gold and silver “Piedfort” coins whose exceptional thickness distinguishes them from ordinary coins and makes them spectacular gifts or collectibles for those with an eye for the exclusive.

Both the $10 1/5 oz. 99.999% pure gold coin -the Mint’s first gold Piedfort, and the 1 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin -only the second of these coins the Mint has produced in silver, feature the iconic maple leaf, long symbolic of the Mint’s leadership of the world bullion industry. Only 3,000 1/5 oz. coins of 99.999% pure gold and 9,000 silver one-ounce coins of 99.99% purity are being made available in this exciting release.

The entire mintage of 99.999% pure gold coins Piedfort coin is offered as part of a set including the 99.99% pure silver Piedfort coin, retailing at $679.95 CAD. Another 6,000 individual silver Piedfort coins are being offered at $79.95 CAD each.

2010 $300 PLATINUM COIN — GROUND SLOTH

The fourth issue in the Mint’s exclusive Prehistoric Animals Collection of 9995 fine platinum coins features the gigantic Jefferson’s Ground Sloth, so called after the third President of the United States of America donated, in 1797, the first fossil specimens found in North America to Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society. The tradition of showcasing the fascinating animals which roamed ancient Canada continues on this precious Mint coin containing a full ounce of pure platinum. Like the rare bones of the creature it immortalizes, this platinum coin has been made in very low quantities, with a worldwide mintage of only 200 examples. Designed by Alberta artist Kerri Burnett, this coin retails for $2,999.95 CAD.

2010 $300 GOLD NEW BRUNSWICK COAT OF ARMS

The Mint has introduced the latest in its series of $300 gold coins series dedicated to Canada’s Official Provincial Coats of Arms. This ornate, oversize coin celebrates the Coat of Arms assigned by Royal Warrant of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 24, 1984; New Brunswick’s bi-centennial. The heraldic symbols added under this Warrant include an Atlantic salmon with St. Edward’s Crown; a grassy mound covered with fiddleheads and purple violets (the province’s floral emblem); and two white tailed deer. The Union Badge represents English, Scottish and Irish settlers while the Royal Arms of France on the right acknowledges French settlement.Only 500 of these proof 14-karat gold coins have been produced, each of which retail for $2,249.95 CAD.

All of the Mint’s products are available directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors.

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[ CoinLink News ] At a time when so many new coin releases exhibit such uninspired design, we can across this incredible beauty being offered by the Canadian Mint in a Limited Mintage of 200 pieces.

Perhaps we have just “classical” taste for the rich allegorical figures of yesteryear which seems to impart an importance to the design, or it may be that the “clip art” mentality exhibited on most modern coins just leaves us cold. In any case, this 5 oz gold just struck a cord, and provides us with a reminder of what exceptional coinage could, and should look like.

The design is a reproduction of the allegory that appeared on the original 1935 $500 bank note; a seated woman holding a sickle surrounded by the fruits of harvest to symbolize fertility.

This is the fourth time that the Mint has produced a 5oz gold coin. Previous issues: 2007 – Queen’s 60th Wedding Anniversary, 2008 – 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mint and 2009 – 150th Ann. of beginning of Construction of Parliament Buildings.

Theme:
The Bank of Canada began operating 75 years ago in 1935 and was given responsibility to regulate the country’s money supply and to “promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada.” Accordingly, it was given the exclusive right to issue Canada’s bank notes. On March 11, 1935, the Bank of Canada issued its first series of bank notes.

The inaugural series of 1935 included denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000. (A $25 note was issued later in 1935 to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V).

The front of the notes featured a portrait of a member of the royal family or of a former Canadian prime minister while allegorical figures representing Canada’s growing agricultural, industrial and commercial prosperity appeared on the back. Each denomination was available in English or French, a practice that ended with the introduction of bilingual notes in 1937.

Specifications:

* Mintage: Limited to 200 coins worldwide
* Composition: 99.99% pure gold
* Finish: proof
* Weight (g): 156.5
* Diameter (mm): 60.15
* Edge: serrated
* Certificate: serialized
* Face value: $500
* Artist: Royal Canadian Mint engravers (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)

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A number of popular series continue in this latest release of 2010, notably: the 99.999% pure gold Canadian Floral Emblems series featuring Manitoba’s Prairie Crocus; the 1/25 oz. pure gold coin honouring the RCMP; the Birds of Canada 25-cent coin series celebrating the colourful Goldfinch; and the 2010 50-cent specially-wrapped coin roll.

New entries include a $20 Fine Silver coin adorned with a painted water lily and CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements; a $2 “Young Lynx” circulation coin in a new Wildlife Specimen Set series; and, new Coin Collector Cards featuring complete sets of 2010 circulation coins available in four different “all-Canadian” backgrounds.

“Every year, Royal Canadian Mint coins are inspired by the best of Canada’s history, culture and values and the richness of these most recent themes proudly stands out on the best collector coins in the world,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “In the spring of 2010, our collector products continue to demonstrate that quality, innovation and artistry are at the heart of every coin produced by the Royal Canadian Mint”.

Below are descriptions of the featured products being launched today.

2010 $20 FINE SILVER COIN — WATER LILY
The addition of genuine CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements to finely crafted Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins has delighted collectors since their first appearance of our popular Crystal Snowflake and Crystal Raindrop coins.  In 2010, this innovative enhancement simulates three water droplets shimmering over a beautifully painted water lily gracing the reverse of a 99.99% pure silver coin.

The painting of a blooming water lily on an impressive 38 mm coin is inspired by the 75th anniversary of Flore laurentienne, a seminal compendium of Canadian flora by renowned botanist Brother Marie-Victorin.  Designed by Quebec wildlife artist Claudio d’Angelo, this coin is limited to a mintage of 10,000 coins worldwide and retails for $104.95 CDN.

2010 PURE GOLD COIN — PRAIRIE CROCUS
The Mint’s 2010 $350 Pure Gold Coin is the 13th in a series started in 1998 and features the Prairie Crocus, Manitoba’s official flower.  Made of 99.999% pure gold, this newest addition to a precious collection of Canadian floral emblems stands out as the finest gold collector coin in the world.  The reverse of this exquisite coin was designed by Ontario botanical artist Celia Godkin.  Limited to a worldwide mintage of 1,400, this coin retails for $2,599.95 CDN.

2010 1/25 OZ GOLD COIN – RCMP
The smallest gold collector coin currently produced by the Mint has been a perennial favourite since its introduction in 2004. In 2010, the 1/25 oz 99.99% pure gold coin is dedicated to the RCMP, one of Canada’s best known and most enduring icons. This coin is limited to a world-wide mintage of 14,000 and retails for $109.95 CDN.

2010 25-CENT COLOURED COIN – GOLDFINCH
The bright canary-yellow plumage of a male American Goldfinch is sure to catch the attention of collectors looking for the latest coloured 25-cent coin from the Mint’s Birds of Canada series.  Illustrated by Ontario wildlife artist Arnold Nogy and reproduced in a vibrant paint application over a large nickel-plated steel coin, this attractive bird is well-known throughout Southern Canada.  This coin, which should attract numismatists and birders alike, is limited to a mintage of 14,000 coins worldwide and retails for $24.95 CDN.

2010 SPECIAL EDITION $2 COIN SPECIMEN SET
Aware that coin collecting often starts at a young age, the Mint is launching a youthful companion to its classic annual specimen set in 2010.  Budding coin enthusiasts are sure to relate to finely engraved depictions of young Canadian wildlife on the reverse of a two-dollar coin designed by Senior Mint Engraver Christie Paquet, which is the centrepiece of this inaugural specimen set.  Featuring a pair of Lynx kits, it is accompanied by all of Canada’s other 2010 circulation coins (with the exception of the Polar Bear $2 coin). The limited worldwide mintage for this attractive new specimen set is 15,000, and it is available for $49.95 CDN

2010 COIN COLLECTOR CARDS
Collector cards are a great way to combine an annual circulation coin collection with a theme of special significance to the collector.  With a selection of four new coin collector cards, the Mint is offering Canadians or visitors to our great land new ways to collect a full set of circulation coins, in brilliant uncirculated finish, in a card which evokes their favourite memory of Canada.  Cards bearing classic Canadian themes of maple leaves; a Polar Bear; the RCMP; or a canoe are available for $19.95 each, while quantities last.

2010 CIRCULATION COIN ROLL – 50 CENT
One of the Mint’s longest-running collectibles makes a return in 2010 with the latest edition of the 50-cent piece in a commemorative paper wrap roll of 25 coins.  Limited to a world-wide mintage of 6,000 rolls, this classic collector piece can be purchased for $19.95 CDN.

All of the Mint’s products are available directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors.

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An all-Canadian achievement, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games athlete medals are the product of the Royal Canadian Mint’s close collaboration with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and metal supplier Teck Resources Limited. Thirty-four Mint engineers, engravers, die technicians, machinists and production experts have combined forces to create an unforgettable series of athlete medals.

The radically undulating face of the medals, evoking the iconic sea and mountains of the Vancouver- Whistler landscape, is the boldest evidence of ground-breaking creative and technical achievement writing a new chapter in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games medals. As powerful tributes to the performances of the Olympic and Paralympic Games athletes who will receive them, the athlete medals establish several milestones:

• at 500 to 576 grams each, they are among the heaviest in Games history;

• with totally unique designs, no two medals are alike; and

• laser etching was used to flawlessly reproduce the unique, West Coast First Nations designs on the undulating surface of the medals.

From its Ottawa facility, the Mint produced all 615 gold, silver and bronze medals for Olympic Winter Games athletes, as well as the 399 athlete medals for Paralympic Winter Games competition. It took one year of planning, innovation and prototype development to finally bring the ambitious design of the athlete medals to life and proceed with the production phase. Thirty steps, representing 2,817 (402 days) hours of precision manufacturing, were taken to produce the medals. This complex process required:

• computer-sculpting and milling 12 undulated dies for striking medals into their unconventional shape;

• converting 1,014 unique designs from two original artworks using a unique software program to prepare the laser etching of the designs onto each medal’s uneven surface;

• casting, milling and rolling bars to cut blanks of a precise width and thickness;

• triple striking each blank three separate times, with polishing and annealing (warming metal to make it more malleable) between each group of strikes to gradually form the medal into its complex final shape;

• pressing a unique Mint-designed ribbon hanger into the body of each medal tested to withstand 200 lbs of pressure;

• laser etching an individual design and text on 1014 different medals;

• cladding each medal in a transparent protective coating to prevent premature wear and tarnishing; and,

• cold-weather testing the medals to a temperature of -20C to confirm their integrity and durability

The dramatic form of the Vancouver 2010 medals is inspired by the ocean waves, drifting snow and mountainous landscape found in the Games region and throughout Canada. The Olympic medals are circular in shape, while the Paralympic medals are a superellipse, or squared circle. Both are equal in size. Their significant weight – between 500 grams to 576 g depending on the medal – represents the magnitude of the athlete’s accomplishment. The Olympic medals are 100 millimetres in diameter and about six mm thick, while the Paralympic medals are 95 mm wide and about six mm thick. They are among the heaviest medals in Olympic and Paralympic history.

The gold, silver and bronze medals were designed with direct input from Olympic and Paralympic athletes who shared their experiences about medals they won at past Games and what they would like to see in future medals. Their stories and dreams helped shape the medals, which are being produced and supplied by Vancouver 2010 Official Supporters the Royal Canadian Mint and Canadian mining and metals giant Teck Resources Limited, in collaboration with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).

“An Olympic or Paralympic medal is a cherished possession for every athlete – it’s what we all strive for when we train and compete,” said Jill Bakken, an Olympic gold medallist for the United States in bobsleigh at the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. “To feel it being placed around your neck on the podium or seeing children’s eyes light up when you show it to them are experiences that defy words. Seeing these beautiful medals today makes me wish I was competing again in 2010.”

Daniel Wesley, a five-time Paralympian and 12-time medallist for Canada in alpine skiing and wheelchair racing at the Summer and Winter Games, agreed. “Every one of my medals has meaning and motivation because of the memories attached to them and the people I’ve been able to share them with, from family and friends to the crowds in the stadiums on those days. The 2010 Paralympic medals – and the care taken by the design team to ensure they’re equal in size to the Olympic medals yet still unique in their artwork and shape – demonstrates to me, the public and other Paralympians how greatly our accomplishments and stories are valued.”

The medals are based on two large master artworks of an orca whale (Olympic) and raven (Paralympic) by Corrine Hunt, a Canadian designer/artist of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage based in Vancouver, BC. Each of the medals has a unique hand-cropped section of the abstract art, making every medal one-of-a-kind.

For example, each medal will include its own signature elements of the orca and raven artwork, such as the suggestion of the orca’s eye, the curve of its dorsal fin, or perhaps the contours of the raven’s wing. A silk scarf printed with the master artwork will be presented to each Olympian or Paralympian with their medal enabling them to see how their medal connects with those awarded to other athletes at the Games to make the whole design.

Internationally renowned Canadian industrial designer and architect Omer Arbel, also of Vancouver, used his extensive knowledge of materials and fabrication processes to create the innovative undulating design of the medals, which are struck nine times each to achieve the distinctive look as part of the 30-step medal fabrication process. The Organizing Committee asked Hunt and Arbel to join their creative talents together on the medals project after they submitted separate designs proposals that both contained compelling elements. VANOC received 48 medal design ideas from across Canada and internationally after issuing a request for proposals in December 2007.

“The ultimate symbol of a dream come true for an athlete is an Olympic or Paralympic medal,” explained VANOC’s Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “They are the reward for years of effort and sacrifice on the part of the athlete and have the power to inspire children and lift the spirits of an entire country.

“This two-year project has been a truly collaborative effort between inspired designers, artists and craftsmen who dedicated themselves to the challenge of finding beautiful, uniquely Canadian designs to honour the medallists and tell the stories of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games,” he added.

The orca, designed across four panels in the style of a traditional West Coast First Nations bentwood box, is often associated with the attributes of strength, dignity and teamwork. The sleek and powerful black and white whales are common to the waters off Canada’s West Coast but are also found in all the world’s oceans.

The strong black wings and proud beaked profile of the raven appear in a three-part composition in the style of a totem pole. The bird, species of which can be found around the globe, is often associated with transformation and healing abilities and represents determination, creativity and wisdom.

The full descriptions explaining the design and artwork, as found in the materials presented to the athletes with their medals, are available at www.vancouver2010.com.

In addition to the Aboriginal art, the obverse side of the medals is embossed with the Olympic Rings or Paralympic agitos and the hand-cropped section of the orca or raven design is lasered on with a subtle wood grain effect.

On the reverse side, the medals contain the official names of the Games in English and French, the official languages of Canada and the Olympic Movement, as well as Vancouver 2010’s distinctive emblems and the name of the sport and the event the medal was awarded in. On the Paralympic medals, braille is also used. The entire medal is protected to prevent tarnishing, nicks and scratches.

The Games motto With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits is written in white lettering on the medal’s blue and green ribbon where it will rest at the base of the neck.

The Royal Canadian Mint will produce 615 Olympic and 399 Paralympic medals at their headquarters in Ottawa, ON, for the 2010 Winter Games. They started striking the medals in July 2009 and will finish the historic task in November. The Mint also manufactured the medals for the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games.

“The Mint assembled a tremendous pool of talented engineers, engravers, die technicians, and press operators to channel decades of experience into bringing the Vancouver 2010 medals to life,” said Ian E. Bennett, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “These medals are the pinnacle of metal fabrication and craftsmanship and worthy tributes to the athletes who will triumph here mere months from now.”

Teck Resources, a Vancouver-based diversified metals company, is supplying the metals used in the production of the Olympic and Paralympic medals. The metals are from Teck’s operations in Canada, including British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Alaska, Chile and Peru.

“Our employees worldwide are honoured to supply the metals for the medals that will be cherished by the world’s best winter athletes in 2010,” said Teck’s president and CEO, Don Lindsay. “We’re also excited that these medals will contain recycled metal recovered from end-of-life electronics, consistent with the sustainability philosophy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

For more information on the medals for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.vancouver2010.com. The materials include a making of the medals video, photos, backgrounders, as well as feature stories on a variety of topics. Video will also be posted to a FTP site, which can be accessed by e-mailing mediarelations@vancouver2010.com for password information.

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“The Royal Canadian Mint is very proud to produce gold and silver bullion coins which stand out from the competition and capture the attention of the marketplace,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “The Mint has been delighted by investor and collector response to the first two issues of its Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coins and is looking forward to a repeat success as its newest Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games bullion coins are launched with only months remaining before the excitement of the 2010 Winter Games.”

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin is made of one ounce of 99.99% pure gold and bears a $50 face value. Bearing a $5 face value, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Silver Maple Leaf bullion coin is struck from one ounce of 99.99% pure silver. The reverse of the coins features an ice hockey player in full stride, flanked by two maple leaves. The design is the product of collaboration between the Mint’s Bullion and Refinery and Engraving teams. Both coins are now available through the Mint’s extensive network of bullion dealers.

These new Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coins are preceded by a 2009 issue featuring a Thunderbird design by Squamish, BC aboriginal artist Xwa Lack Tun (Rick Harry) and the inaugural 2008 issue featuring the logo of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games overlapping the iconic Maple Leaf design, which has graced the reverse of Royal Canadian Mint bullion coins since 1979.

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 9001-2000 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. The Mint is an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and has undertaken to produce the most extensive circulation coin program in relation to the Olympic Games ever conceived by any mint worldwide, while also offering limited mintage collector coins and sets. Visit www.mint.ca/2010 for Vancouver 2010 keepsakes and gifts.

Images of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games gold and silver bullion coins are available by visiting: ftp://communications:RCM2007@ftp.mint.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Alex Reeves
Manager, Communications
Tel: (613) 949?5777
Cell: (613) 884-6370
reeves@mint.ca

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