OTTAWA, February 27, 2006 -- Today the Royal Canadian Mint officially
released its newest line of collector products, featuring new issues from
popular series. These ongoing series include the 99.999% Pure Gold coin
series, the smallest gold coins produced by the Royal Canadian Mint series,
the National Parks of Canada series, and the Mint's Golden Flowers series.
Featured products in the Mint's new collection include the 2006 Pure Gold
coin- Iris Versicolor, the 2006 1/25 oz Gold coin- Cowboy, the 2006 National
Parks coin- Nahanni, and the 2006 50-cent Sterling Silver coin- Golden Daisy.
Also part of the new line are the 2006 Architectural Treasures- CN Tower coin
and the 2006 Coin and Stamp Set- Sable Island Horse and Foal.
"This latest collection of exciting numismatic products is comprised of
series that have a broad appeal and special meaning to collectors," said
Marguerite F. Nadeau, Q.C., Acting President and C.E.O. of the Royal Canadian
Mint.
Here are some of the featured coins that are part of the Royal Canadian
Mint's newest collection.
2006 PURE GOLD COIN- IRIS VERSICOLOR
Past and Present Bloom Together- The Blue Flag
This coin features Quebec's official floral emblem, the Iris versicolor,
a springtime flower that is native to the province. The flower, appropriately
called the Blue Flag, has the distinctive shape and arresting blue tones that
make it the perfect floral emblem for Quebec. The province officially adopted
it in 1999.
The coin, bearing a 350-dollar face value, is the ninth in a series of
provincial flowers that began in 1998. The coin is crafted in 99.999% pure
gold and hand polished to proof perfection. The coin is limited to a reduced
worldwide mintage of 2,006, and is available for $1,295.95 CND.
2006 1/25 OZ GOLD COIN- COWBOY
This coin showcases an original design by Canadian artist Michelle Grant
that depicts a contemporary saddle bronc with a rider and a stylized maple
leaf underneath. The coin design celebrates not only the past, but also the
modern cowboy that remains a vital part of today.
This 99.99% pure gold coin bears a face value of 50 cents, and has a
limited worldwide mintage of 25,000. It is the third coin in the series of
smallest gold coins ever produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The previous two
coins in the series were the 2004 Moose coin, which sold out at the Mint, and
the 2005 Voyageur coin. It is available for $69.95 CND.
2006 NATIONAL PARKS- NAHANNI
This coin features a grizzly bear roaming the Nahanni National Park
Reserve of Canada, a remote wilderness treasure located North of the 60th
parallel in the Northwest Territories. The coin also features superior
sculpting that captures the powerful beauty of the reserve's Virginia Falls,
characterised by a vertical drop almost twice that of Niagara Falls.
The Nahanni coin, which is the fourth coin in a series depicting Canada's
National Parks, is composed of 99.99% silver. It has a face value of 20
dollars and is limited to a worldwide mintage of 15,000. The coin is available
for $69.95 CND.
2006 50-CENT STERLING SILVER COIN- GOLDEN DAISY
"Loves me... Loves me not..."
This coin features the Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), a perennial
herb found throughout the world. The daisy is known for both its healing
properties as well as for its reputation as an undesirable weed that has
spread to 40 countries from its native Europe. Despite these concerns, there
is nothing quite like a crown of daisies or a vase full of its cheerful
blooms.
This 50-cent coin is composed of sterling silver with selective gold
plating. It was minted with the same artistic flair and technical precision as
the other coins in this series, such as the 2005 Golden Rose, and the 2004
Easter Lily. The Golden Daisy coin has a worldwide mintage of 23,000 and is
available for $36.95 CND.
The Architectural Treasures- CN Tower coin is available for $69.95 CND,
while the 2006 Coin and Stamp Set- Sable Island Horse and Foal is available
for $49.55 CND.
All coins feature the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by
Susanna Blunt on the obverse.
All of the Mint's products are available directly from the Mint by
calling 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, or 1-800-268-6468 in the US, by visiting the
Mint's online boutique at www.mint.ca, by visiting the Mint's boutiques in
Ottawa and Winnipeg, or through the Royal Canadian Mint's global network of
dealers and distributors.
The Royal Canadian Mint, an ISO 9001-2000 certified company, is the Crown
Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's
circulation coins. The Royal Canadian Mint is recognized as one of the largest
and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized,
high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale.
For more information on the Royal Canadian Mint, its products and services,
visit www.mint.ca.
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For further information:
Anthony Kissmate
Manager, Communications
Tel.: (613) 949-6370
Tel.: (613) 991-5342
Fax: (613) 991-2628,
Cellular: (613) 884-6370
E-mail: kissmate@mint.ca
