A new series of four coins from the Royal Canadian Mint kicks off with a 99.99% pure $10 gold piece featuring an obverse effigy of Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 and a reverse of maple leaves.
This new series celebrates the four effigies of the Queen which have appeared on Canadian circulated coinage since her coronation in 1953. Each is limited to a mintage of only 1,500.
This coin features "the glorious Canadian maple and our beloved Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada – two icons that for more than sixty years have symbolized our country and our collective sense of identity," describes the Royal Canadian Mint.
Queen Elizabeth II is Canada’s head of state, as well as being the head of state of fifteen other realms in the Commonwealth. She has served as Sovereign since her 1953 coronation with her Diamond Jubilee — 60th anniversary as Queen — celebrated last year. Only one other monarch can claim a 60-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II’s great grand grandmother, Queen Victoria who celebrated a Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Future coins of the series will offer three other effigies of the Queen that have used throughout the decades leading to the present-day likeness which is found on the obverse of all current Canadian coinage.
Coin Designs and Specifications
The obverse of this first coin in the series has the Mary Gillick portrait of the Queen. The image is notable for its absence of a crown. Instead, her head is encircled with a laurel wreath. Inscribed around the portrait are ELIZABETH II and DEI GRATIA REGINA.
Designed by Canadian wildlife artist Celia Godkin, the reverse offers two overlapping sugar maple leaves. The leaves are attached by their stems to a single twig. CANADA, 10 DOLLARS and 2014 are inscribed around the image. The artist’s initials also are shown.
Specifications for the gold coin include:
- Mintage: 1500
- Composition: 99.99% pure gold
- Finish: reverse proof
- Weight (g): 7.8
- Diameter (mm): 20
- Edge: serrated
- Certificate: serialized
- Face value: 10 dollars
- Reverse Artist: Celia Godkin
- Obverse Artist: Mary Gillick
Ordering Details
The 2014 $10 Maple Leaves with Queen Elizabeth II Effigy from 1953 Pure Gold Coin may be ordered directly from the Royal Canadian Mint at mint.ca. Current pricing is CAD $649.95, or about US $591.
An affiliate link to the Royal Canadian Mint’s product page for the new coin is found here. Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box.
