Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of England is the Monarch of Canada as well. Canada respects the Royal family. It also admires the legendary family duo of Wayne and Walter Gretzky. These are aspects of Canadian pride and identity. The Royal Canadian Mint is releasing collector’s coins in honor of both. The Queen will be completing the unprecedented 60 years of her reign as Queen and Monarch. The grand Diamond Jubilee celebrations are scheduled to commence in 2012. The Royal Canadian Mint is ready with a commemorative design for the occasion.
For the unprecedented occasion the Mint has designed an unprecedented coin that integrates a genuine diamond. This is a first of its kind coin made by any mint, anywhere in the world. The coin is fashioned with 99.999% pure gold and a certified Canadian diamond is locked inside the coin’s rim as the coin is struck. This process of inserting the diamond in the coin makes it equally visible from both sides of the coin. The reverse of the coin depicts a portrait of a young Queen Elizabeth, made by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw.
The obverse design of the commemorative coin is the same that has been appearing on Canadian coins since the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It is the effigy of Her Majesty done by the British Columbia portrait artist Susanna Blunt. This is a release for the collectors and only 1,500 pieces will be made for circulation worldwide. Each coin will be accompanied by a serialized certificate confirming the diamond’s authenticity, weight and clarity. This exclusive new coin with a $300 face value will be sold for two thousand Canadian Dollars.
