Offered as the fourth release from the Royal Canadian Mint’s Great Lakes series is the proof 2015 Lake Michigan 1 oz Fine Silver Coin. Eighty-three percent have already sold.
Mintage of the 99.99% fine silver piece is limited to 10,000 and like others of the series, each bears an interpretation of a bathymetry map of a lake — for this coin, Lake Michigan.
"Lake Michigan is sunk into the face of the coin, with the varying depths highlighted in relief and multiple frosting techniques, and then filled with vibrant translucent blue enamel," describes the Royal Canadian Mint. "This unique approach to showcasing the lake highlights the depths that typically remain hidden from view," the Mint added.
Lake Michigan is the largest of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is also the only one found entirely within the United States. The others share the common Canada-United States border. Lake Michigan is also the fifth largest lake in the world.
Silver Coin Designs and Specifications
In translucent blue enamel to represent different depths and shape is the interpretation of a bathymetry map of Lake Michigan. The bathymetry data is from the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Inscriptions within and below the design include LAKE MICHIGAN, LAK MICHIGAN (French version of Lake Michigan), 20 DOLLARS and 2015. Compass points surround the top half of the coin’s design.
Struck as legal tender of Canada, Susanna Blunt’s effigy of Queen Elizabeth II graces the obverse. The portrait is surrounded by the inscriptions of ELIZABETH II and D G REGINA.
Coins of the Great Lake series have the following specifications:
- Mintage – 10,000
- Composition – fine silver (99.99% pure)
- Finish – proof
- Weight (g) – 31.39
- Diameter (mm) – 38
- Edge – serrated
- Certificate – serialized
- Face value – 20 dollars
- Artist – Susanna Blunt (obverse)
Coins in Great Lake Series
A total of five coins will be issued in the Great Lakes series when completed with one coin representing each of the individual lakes. The series debuted in 2013 and includes these issues:
- Lake Superior Silver Coin – released November 2013
- Lake Ontario Silver Coin – released March 2014
- Lake Erie Silver Coin – released in June 2014
- Lake Michigan Silver Coin – this issue
- Lake Huron Silver Coin – schedule for release in February 2015
Ordering
2014 Lake Michigan silver coins may be ordered directly from the Royal Canadian Mint (mint.ca) for CAD $114.95, or about US $102.60. An affiliate link to the coin’s product page on the Mint’s website is located here.
Each ships with a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell case and a serialized certificate of authenticity.
It’s nice our Canadian friends are honoring a Great Lake which is wholly within the United States! 🙂