THUNDER BAY – On the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, The Royal Canadian Mint is joining with Canadians from coast to coast to coast in celebrating the event. “Today, the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “The Mint has a long history of honouring royal milestones and through an array of finely crafted Diamond Jubilee collector coins, we are offering Canadians, royal watchers and collectors everywhere exceptional keepsakes by which to remember this historic event.”
Since the spring of 2011, the Mint has issued several Diamond Jubilee collector coins, including a $20 fine silver coin with crystal; a $300 pure gold coin with Canadian diamond; a Royal Cypher $5 pure gold coin and $20 fine silver coin; and a $20 fine silver coin featuring Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Please see attached backgrounder for further information. Additional Diamond Jubilee collector coins will be released in March. The Mint has also issued other Royal-themed coins in the past year including a 25-cent coloured coin and $20 fine silver coin to commemorate the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and a trio of silver coins featuring Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry.
The Mint is the proud producer of the Diamond Jubilee Medal, which will be awarded to Canadians who have made significant contributions to their communities and nation or who have made achievements abroad that bring credit to Canada.
Since her accession to the throne, four effigies of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II have appeared on the obverse of Canada’s coins. The first effigy was drawn by Mary Gillick in 1953. In 1965, Arnold Machin created a portrait of Her Majesty wearing a jewel-studded tiara. In 1990, a new royal portrait was commissioned from Dora de Pédery-Hunt, the first effigy of a reigning monarch by a Canadian artist. The current effigy was produced in 2003 by Susanna Blunt of Vancouver, British Columbia.