Silver Coins

Message in the pinesDecember is a month of garlands and wreaths crafted from evergreen boughs and their ―fruits‖ – the spruce, fir and pinecones. These coniferous trees were once powerful symbols of life that survived winter’s cold and...

Message in the pinesDecember is a month of garlands and wreaths crafted from evergreen boughs and their ―fruits‖ – the spruce, fir and pinecones. These coniferous trees were once powerful symbols of life that survived winter’s cold and...

  In 1929, the Montreal Locomotive Works built a new series of large 2-10-4 engines for Canadian Pacific Railway to handle the heavy grades between Calgary (Alberta) and Revelstoke (British Columbia). Named for the Selkirk Mountains that they...

The Bank of Canada began operating 75 years ago in 1935 and was given responsibility to regulate the country’s money supply and to “promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada.” Accordingly, it was given the exclusive right to...

Spirit of a nation. A nation’s character and spirit are often revealed in the designs of its circulation coins. For Canada, no other coin has done this more profoundly than the voyageur silver dollar.Canada’s first circulating silver dollar...

The Bank of Canada began operating 75 years ago in 1935 and was given responsibility to regulate the country’s money supply and to “promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada.” Accordingly, it was given the exclusive right to...

  The water lily (Nymphaea odorata) is an exceptionally beautiful water plant, crowning Laurentian lakes from early summer to mid-autumn with showy pink or white flowers and round green leaves that can reach up to 28 cm (11 in) in diameter.Each...

Since time immemorial, the salmon has been an essential food source for the Northwest Coast people. A few weeks of intense work harvesting fish during the salmon run usually produced enough stores to meet their needs for the upcoming year enabling them...

Winter’s fleeting beautyTo scientists, they are ―six-sided dendrite ice crystals;‖ to children, they are the beginnings of snowmen and fun-filled toboggan rides; to Canada, they are its most defining climatic feature. But to the observant eye, the...

The Joy and Anticipation of the HolidaysStockings hanging from the fireplace are a sure sign that a season of fun and excitement is about to begin. But there was a time when hanging stockings was an everyday sight as people regularly dried their clothes...

Fifty years after Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) completed its transcontinental railway, a new generation of sleek, efficient-looking locomotives was fuelling renewed interest in trains throughout North America. The Jubilee, aptly named for the...

2009 $15 Coin—King George VI Showcase of Canadian Coin EffigiesThe art form once reserved for wealthy aristocrats can now beenjoyed with this remarkable coin series featuring the effigies of fivemonarchs that have appeared on Canada's circulation...