New Canadian Coin Honors History in a Big Way

The Royal Canadian Mint recently released the second coin in a series that shines the spotlight on medallic sketches by Emanuel Hahn (1881-1957). This Canadian coin designer’s work appears on Canada’s 20th-century dimes, quarters, and silver dollars. Among Hahn’s credits is a 1939 Canadian dollar. The piece commemorates the gala tour of King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, through Canada. Hahn also drafted designs for several 1939 Royal Visit medals issued by the Canadian government. The Royal Canadian Mint is reviving some of these designs for today’s numismatists.

Design

The most recent entry in the Royal Canadian Mint’s program of 5-ounce silver coins featuring the artist’s Royal Visit work showcases Hahn’s intricate hand-drawn map of Canada. This design exhibits more than 1,600 lines from Hahn’s original art, including lettering and paper folds. The design symbolizes the pan-Canadian Royal Visit, which toured “A mari usque ad mare,” or “from sea to sea.” The coin pairs the Royal Visit design on its reverse with a portrait of King George VI on its obverse. T.H. Paget created the effigy, which appeared on Canadian coins in 1939.

“I like the concept because of the link to the past and will be interested in seeing how it’s received by collectors,” says Kevin Day-Thorburn, a numismatist and coin dealer in New Brunswick, Canada. He also serves a fellowship in the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association. “I’m hopeful this coin will renew interest in the 1939 Royal Visit medals. They are often dismissed by the collecting community, but they offer a lot of interesting features.”

Specifications

The coins in this exciting series are 5-ounces of .9999-fine silver. This massive 158.5g silver coin measures 110mm in diameter and has a face value of $50. It bears an antiqued finish and comes in a black clamshell box. The Royal Canadian Mint sells the coin, limited to 1,350 pieces, for CAN$699.95 (about US$510) on its website.