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Monday 8 November 2021

2108) North America's Great Lakes, Canada: The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has issued a $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Silver Coin (with applied colour) featuring the Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario: Date/Year of Coin issue: 08/2021:

2108) North America's Great Lakes, Canada: The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has issued a $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Silver Coin (with applied colour) featuring the Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario: Date/Year of Coin issue: 08/2021:

The Royal Canadian Mint has brought out a Silver Proof $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Coin, with applied Colour, depicting North America’s five Great Lakes. 

The Header/Banner presents the Obverse and Reverse of the Silver Proof $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Coin placed against a background representation/map of the five Great Lakes. The Header is titled -"The Great Lakes (in English) and "LES GRANDS LACS" (in French)

A source of energy, irrigation for millions of square miles of cultivated and agricultural land, the five Great Lakes of Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario are invaluable to North America’s ecosystem, economy, and overall survival. 

Shared between Canada and the United States and spanning more than 750 miles (1,200 kilometres) from West to East, these vast inland freshwater seas also provide water for transportation, recreation, and many other uses. 

By surface area, Lake Superior is the second-largest lake in the world and the largest freshwater lake. 

Lake Michigan is the largest lake that is entirely situated within one country. 

The lakes form the largest fresh surface water system on Earth with 84% of the continent’s supply and are crucial as the primary source of drinking water for almost 50 million people in Canada and the United States.

Nearly 25% of Canadian agricultural production and 7% of American farm production relies on the waterways of the Great Lakes irrigating croplands resulting in some of the world’s most abundant yields. 

In terms of energy, four of the Great Lakes provide a primary source of water going over Niagara Falls. The amount of electricity the power plants at Niagara Falls have the capacity to output is close to 4.9 million kilowatts, which is enough to power nearly four million homes. 

The Canadian side of the combined capacity is close to 2.2 million kilowatts, while on the U.S. side, plants have a capacity of producing roughly 2.7 million kilowatts.

The Coin:

The Reverse of the $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Silver Coin with applied colour features a  custom “true scale” map of the Great Lakes region. 

This design and project marks the first time a cartographer has created a map exclusively for the Royal Canadian Mint and is a true representation of the Great Lakes and surrounding region scaled down (1:22,000,000) to fit this coin’s Reverse. 

Vivid colour is effectively applied over engraved relief which adds new layers of information. 

Each colour represents a different land cover that includes three shades of green to represent different forest types, blue/green represents wetland, pink represents urban space, yellow represents farmland, and lastly, red lines indicate roadways. 

While colour fills in the surrounding area, the Great Lakes feature a brilliant finish that amplifies the reflective qualities with the effect replicating sunlight hitting the lake’s surface. 

The name of each lake appears as frosted elements and towards the upper-right edge is the word "CANADA".

Just to the left of the text is a compass rose to indicate direction, while graticules (or lines representing longitude and latitude) are painted onto the map and laser-engraved.

The Obverse of the $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN) Silver Coin with applied colour, features an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Susanna Blunt. The inscriptions are - "ELIZABETH II. D.G.REGINA". The denomination of "50 DOLLARS" is placed on the lower periphery.

The specifications of the Silver Coin are:

Country of issue: Canada; Year: 2021; Denomination/Face Value: $50 (Fifty Dollars - CAN); Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 5.0 Oz or 157.6 grams; Diameter/Size: 65.2 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (with applied colour); Mint: Royal Canadian Mint (RCM); Mintage: 2,000 pieces; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes; Designer: Artist and Canadian Geographic Cartographer Chris Brackley, 

- Each $50 coin is individually encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded custom case to accommodate its larger diameter and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) and black outer protective box. 













For other interesting posts on the Coins and Banknotes of Canada, please visit the following links:











30) Bill Reid (1920-1998), Haida Artist, Canada: 100th Anniversary (1920-2020) of the Birth of the Haida Artist IIluwas, known as Bill Reid: Commemorative $2, $1, 20 Cents, 10 Cents & 5 Cents Coins & $200 (Gold) Coins issued by the Royal Canadian Mint: Yeat: 2020

31) North-west Territories, Canada: 150th Anniversary (1870-2020): A $30 (Thirty Canadian Dollars) Silver Proof Coin minted by the Royal Canadian Mint, celebrates the milestone: Year of Coin issue: 2020

32) An "Inuk" and a Quilliq", Canada: New 1/20 Ounce $10 Coins minted in Arctic Gold by the Royal Canadian Mint symbolise cultural diversity in Canada and features deeply symbolic elements that are important expressions of Inuit identity: Year of Coin issue: 2020

















Early Canadian History Coin Series:

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