Historic and cultural symbols headline new Royal Canadian Mint collector coin offering

OTTAWA, Sept. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to release new collector coins which continue to celebrate Canada's unique historical and natural heritage, as well as its rich cultural fabric.  This latest issue of finely crafted collectibles includes a 99.999% pure gold tribute to the 200^th anniversary of the death of War of 1812 hero Sir Isaac Brock, a stunning array of gold and silver coins celebrating the Asian Lunar Calendar's Year of the Snake, a special edition uncirculated set featuring new 2012 $1 and $2 circulation coins, and the latest addition to our best-selling 25-cent painted Birds of Canada series. 

"The events and symbols which define the Canadian experience continue to inspire an endless variety of finely crafted collector coins," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.  "The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to showcase themes that capture Canada's history, culture and values on coins which are sought the world over for their craftsmanship, design and innovation."

As Canadians far and wide mark the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812, this historical turning point reminds us of the heroic figures whose brave acts assured the defense of a future Canada.  One of the best known was Sir Isaac Brock, who died on October 13, 1812 while leading his troops to victory in the Battle of Queenston Heights over American invaders. Inspired by the design of a commemorative half-penny token issued in Upper Canada in 1816, two cherubs placing a wreath over an urn marking the date of Brock's death, are framed by the immortal tribute of "The Hero of Upper Canada".  This exquisite coin is made from the purest gold in the world, refined to 99.999% purity and is limited to only 1,000 examples world-wide.

The Mint is also pleased to continue the popular celebration of the Lunar New Year with new gold and silver coins featuring the upcoming Year of the Snake, whose symbol is commonly attributed to strong individuals destined for success.  This new series of coins includes a 99.99% pure gold $5 1/10 oz. coin; an 18-karat gold $150 gold coin; 99.99% pure silver coins with $10 and $15 face values, as well as a pure silver scallop-shaped coin with a $15 denomination.

The 2012 Special Edition Uncirculated Set features all three $1 circulation coins issued this year: a new Lucky Loonie offered as a good luck charm to our athletes competing at the London 2012 Games; another Loonie honouring the 100^th Grey Cup^®; as well as the new circulation coin heralding a new era in Canadian circulation coinage by featuring multi-ply plating technology and advanced security features.  Its $2 circulation counterpart is also included in this special coin set.

Completing this latest collector offering is another installment in the wildly popular series of 25-cent painted Bird of Canada series, featuring the Evening Grosbeak, a golden resident of Canadian skies, admired across the North American continent for its bright plumage as well as its song.

Mintages, pricing and full background information on each product can be found at the "Shop" tab of www.mint.ca.

All of these products are available today, directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

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 9001-2008 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. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca

Images of the Mint's newest collection are available by visiting
ftp://communications:[email protected].

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mint