The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City by issuing a commemorative two-dollar coin.

“I invite all Canadians to look for this commemorative coin in their change,” said Ian E. Bennett, the Mint’s President and CEO. “Six million of these coins will be put into circulation to be exchanged daily not only by Quebecers, but by Canadians throughout the country. This coin is a striking way to pay tribute to Quebec City’s heritage, and to its significance in Canadian history. The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to join Quebec City’s citizens and admirers in celebrating the 400th anniversary of this famous city.”

This coin was officially unveiled to the public at the IIHF World Hockey Championship’s “Fanfest” on May 7th, before the start of the game headlining France and Belarus. Notably present at its unveiling were Mint spokesperson Véronique Cloutier, Marguerite Nadeau, Royal Canadian Mint Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary, Jean Leclerc, Chairman of the Quebec 400th Anniversary Corporation, as well as other public figures.

“There are few North American cities that can celebrate a past such as that of Québec City. It is from the year 1608 that we truly started to become what we are today. Because the founding of Québec City also marks the founding of Canada,” said the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages.

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO – In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint recorded an unprecedented profit of $30.7 million, almost double the previous year’s figure. Throughout the year, it also leveraged its innovation advantage, strengthened strategic partnerships and positioned itself for future growth in the global marketplace.

“The past year was one of remarkable accomplishment for the Mint, and this success can be attributed to the dedication and commitment of each and every employee of the Corporation,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “As we move forward, we will invest in our infrastructure, our world-renowned technology and in our employees – all of which will ensure our path to continued success.”

Achievements for the Royal Canadian Mint in 2007 included:

An increase in revenue to $632.1 million;

The production of 1.937 billion Canadian circulation coins;

The expansion of the coin recycling program in Ontario and Quebec;

As an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the launch of the first five circulation coins of its extensive Olympic commemorative coin program; (more…)

By Doug Andrews, World Coin News
Celebration of the centennial of the Royal Canadian Mint in the summer of 2008 may cause numismatists to reflect on the years of diplomatic wrangling and political infighting that surrounded its establishment. Now one of the most successful and modern mints in the world, its founding in 1908 was the culmination of nearly two decades of argument among Canadian parliamentarians, and negotiations between officials in Canada and the United Kingdom.

As early as 1890 members of the Canadian Senate from British Columbia began lobbying the Conservative and later, the Liberal, governments in Ottawa for opening a mint in Vancouver. Gold recently had been discovered in the nearby Fraser River Valley, and a tiny group of politicians led by Senator Thomas McInnes tried to persuade the cabinet to fund construction of a mint to assay and refine gold, produce ingots and strike gold into coins. In March, McInnes boldly introduced the following motion to the Senate, “Resolved as to the opinion of this House that it is both desirable and expedient that the government should immediately pass a coinage act and establish a mint.”

Gold miners and speculators in British Columbia saw the opening of a mint as an opportunity to increase their profits by reducing the costs of exporting gold to the United States for refining. However, the Conservative Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, opposed the measure championed by McInnes, a Liberal, and it went down to defeat. Macdonald, then in declining health, had focused this agenda on protectionism rather than foreign trade, and a mint to increase profits from exportation of gold did not fit into his plans.

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