OTTAWA, Aug. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - From history to culture and nature, the Royal Canadian Mint has crafted new visions of the Canadian experience on collector coins now on sale to its increasingly varied customer base. Iconic designs represented through a mix of time-honoured craftsmanship and technological innovation celebrate themes such as Canada's Royal Family, public art treasures in stained glass, the upcoming new year on the Chinese Lunar Calendar and our rich natural heritage.

"The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to be able to celebrate a great diversity of Canadian themes by continuing to expand its repertoire of finely crafted collector coins," said Marc Brûlé, Interim President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.  "By appealing to a broader spectrum of customers with a more varied customer offering, we are both building a stronger numismatic program and sharing ever more stories of Canada through our collector coins."

Always a popular coin theme, history comes back into focus with our third tribute to the spirit of exploration.  Designed by John Mantha, the 2014 $15 Fine Silver Coin – Exploring Canada: The Arctic Expedition dramatically illustrates the perils of sailing in sea ice during the early days of arctic exploration.  More intrepid stories, from the Vikings to space exploration, will be featured in this series which is also available by subscription.  As the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Second World War continues, the Mint has launched a fine silver coin, designed by artist Silvia Pecota, in a rare 2 oz. size.  The image of a pair of soldiers training on a Vickers machine gun is a moving tribute to all those who served in the Canadian Army from 1939 to 1945.  This same design appears on an equally unique 2 oz., 99.99% pure gold coin.

In commemorating the first birthday of His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, the Mint has honoured four generations of Canada's Royal Family on new gold and silver collector coins. Both of these feature the adaptation of a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with three generations of heirs to the British throne: Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince George. Prince William holds Prince George as the infant wears his long christening robes. 

Cultural traditions continue to inspire new coins which reflect Canada's vibrant diversity.  In anticipation of the next phase of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the Mint is proud to reveal its colourful program honouring the Year of the Sheep, welcomed as a good omen due to this animal's irresistibly good nature.  Coins available for this celebration gaining popularity across Canada include:

• A $5 face-value fine silver (99.99% pure) coin featuring the first of a new series featuring vibrant colour over the engraved texture of the celebrated animal;  
• A $10 fine silver and $5, 99.99% pure gold coin featuring new designs by artist Simon Ng, as well as artist Aries Cheung's continuing interpretations of the theme on $15 fine silver and $150 pure gold coins;
• a $15 face-value fine silver Lunar Lotus, with a unique scalloped edge;
• the very first kilo coin to feature the addition of translucent paint, dramatically enhancing the Year of the Sheep fine silver kilo coin; and
• a 99.99% pure gold kilo coin with a $2,500 face value.

Other windows on culture include the latest celebration of Canadian stained glass art with the intricate application of enamel on a fine silver coin.  The newest coin in the series was officially unveiled on August 5, 2014 at Toronto's famous Casa Loma, under the very McCausland dome which is the crowning feature of this historic residence's conservatory and the subject of the coin itself.  To continue a series dedicated to Aboriginal tradition, the Mint has also released artist Nathalie Bertin's tribute to wisdom, one of the Seven Sacred Teachings revered by First Nations people across Canada.

Nature also takes the stage with a diverse array of coins demonstrating the Mint's renowned skill in traditional and innovative techniques.  These include:

• Limited-edition, proof versions of the recently released 1 oz. Birds of Prey – Bald Eagle and American Numismatic Association's 2014 World's Fair of Money privy-marked Silver Maple Leaf 99.99% pure silver coins;
• A new coloured $20 fine silver Maple Canopy coin featuring the golden foliage of autumn and a traditionally engraved $20 fine silver coin celebrating the Majestic Maple Leaf;
• The second issue in the fine silver Baby Animals coloured series with a coin celebrating the Atlantic Puffin;
• A new colourful Birds of Canada 25-cent cupro-nickel coin dedicated to the Scarlet Tanager; and
• A $20 face-value fine silver coin featuring a portrait of the White Tailed Deer by artist Desmond McCaffrey.

The Mint's latest coins in the O Canada series feature two tributes to the Bison by accomplished coin designer Trevor Tennant. This powerful icon of Canadian wildlife is found on a $10 fine silver coin and a $5 pure gold coin.

Mintages, pricing and full background information on each product can be found on the "Shop" tab of www.mint.ca. 

All of these products can be ordered directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca (subject to availability). The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the 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 Mint, its products and services, visit. www.mint.ca

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint