The
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is the official bullion gold coin of
Canada and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The brainchild
of Walter Ott, it is the purest gold coin of regular issue in the
world, with a gold content of .9999 millesimal fineness (24 carats).
That is, it contains virtually no base metals at all - only gold exclusively
from gold mines in Canada. Coins minted between 1979 and 1981 have
gold content of .999.
The coin was first introduced in 1979. At that time, the only available
bullion coin was the Krugerrand, which was not widely available because
of an economic boycott of apartheid-era South Africa.
The coin is offered in 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz
denominations and is guaranteed to contain the stated amount (in troy
ounces) of .9999 fine gold (24 karat). The coins have legal tender
status in Canada, but as is often the case with bullion coins, the
face values of these coins (C$1, C$5, C$10, C$20 and C$50) are purely
symbolic and do not reflect their true value.
The 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, and 1/2 troy oz coins are identical in design
to the 1 troy oz coin except for the markings on the obverse and reverse
sides that indicate the weight and face value of the coin. In 1994,
1/15 oz ($2.00 face value) gold and platinum coins were issued, possibly
for use in jewelry. They were not very successful, and so 1994 remains
the only year in which 1/15 oz gold and platinum bullion coins were
produced.
Starting in 1988, Maple Leaf coins have also been struck in .9995-fine
platinum, having the same weights and face values as the gold coins.
Since 1988, a one ounce .9999-fine silver Maple Leaf has also been
struck, with a face value of 5 dollars. In 2005, a .9995-fine palladium
Maple Leaf 1 oz coin was introduced, with a face value of 50 dollars.
The palladium Maple Leaf is subject to the federal GST in Canada.
The
Canadian Silver Silver Maple Leaf is a series of silver bullion
coins issued by Canada. It has a static design every year and comes
mostly in 1 troy oz of silver. Variation for this coin includes proof
(1989 only), privy marks, coloured maple leaf (has a different design
than regular maple leaf) and holographic enhancement (5 Coin Set -
1 oz, ½ oz, ¼ oz, 1/10 oz, 1/20 oz). A single-issue
10 oz version was produced in 1998 to mark the 10th anniversary of
the coin series. The face value of the 1 oz coin is 5 Canadian Dollars,
the highest among other silver bullions. The purity of the coin is
99.99% silver, also the highest among other bullions which have a
99.90% standard. The program started in 1988 and is on-going today.
In 1999, all Silver Maple Leaf coins that were issued came with a
Privy Mark to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Maple Leaf program.
The following year, all coins for the year 2000 featured a Privy Mark
with Fireworks and the number 2000. Another Silver Maple Leaf was
issued to commemorate the Millennium. These coins were produced for
January 1, 2000 and the Privy Mark consisted of Fireworks as well.
The coins were double dated 1999 and 2000. [1]The coin is struck by
the Royal Canadian Mint.
The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) produces all of Canada's circulation
coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations.
The Mint designs and manufactures: collector coins; gold, silver and
platinum (1989-1999) bullion coins; customized medals, tokens and
trade dollars watches and for a brief time high end jewellery featuring
coin designs. It also offers gold and silver refinery and assay services.
The RCM is a Crown Corporation that operates under the legislative
basis of the Royal Canadian Mint Act; all monies in Canada are technically
issued with the authority of the Canadian Monarch. However, all operations
are overseen by the President and CEO, or Master of the Mint, who
is the senior executive officer of the organization, reporting to
a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Public Works and
Government Services.
The current president is Ian Bennett (appointed in 2006), and the
Chairperson of the Board is Max C. Lewis (also appointed in 2006).
The Chief Engraver is Cosme Saffioti, who follows Ago Aarand, Walter
Ott, Patrick Brindley, and Thomas Shingles. The government department
responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint is the Department of Transport,
Infrastructure, and Communities, led by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon.
There are 10 members that comprise the Board of Directors, and 13
members that comprise the Executive Team.[1] The Royal Canadian Mint's
business lines are structured into four divisions: Bullion products
and refinery, Canadian Circulation Coins, Foreign Circulation, and
Numismatics.[2]
The Mint has been at the forefront of currency innovation. Among the
Mint's technical innovations have included its plating process, which
consists of a multi-ply technology that allows electromagnetic signatures
to be embedded in the coins, assuring readability in the coin-processing
industries.[3] Its other innovation was the world's first coloured
circulation coin, the 2004 Remembrance Day 25 cent piece, with a red
poppy on the reverse. Further innovation was achieved with the adaptation
of the Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) technology to coat its dies,
extending the life of the die beyond that of past chrome coated dies.
Many foreign countries have had coinage struck at the Royal Canadian
Mint, including circulation coins, numismatic coins, and ready to
strike blanks. The customers have included governments, central banks,
and treasuries. In 2005 alone, the RCM manufactured 1.062 billion
coins and blanks for 14 countries.[5] From 1980-2005, the RCM has
manufactured approximately 52 billion coins for 62 countries.[6] These
coins are manufactured at the Royal Canadian Mint's facility in Winnipeg.
From:
www.wikipedia.org