Steeped in Royal tradition, the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the Diamond Jubilee

Exceptional Jubilee collector coins available to mark historical milestone

OTTAWA, Feb. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mint joins Canadians from coast to coast to coast in celebrating the Diamond Jubilee.

"Today, the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the 60^th 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.

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

Images and product details are available by visiting ftp://communications:[email protected].

---

Backgrounder

---

ROYAL CANADIAN MINT DIAMOND JUBILEE COMMEMORATIVE COINS

2012 $20 FINE SILVER COIN - THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 1952-2012 (WITH CRYSTAL)
Canadians and royal-watchers worldwide can celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee with a pure silver, double effigy coin featuring a new design of Her Majesty as she appeared at the start of her reign and as she is depicted on today's Canadian coinage. The profile of a young Queen Elizabeth II by Ontario portrait artist Laurie McGaw appears on the reverse and is dated 1952-2012. A round white crystal cleverly replaces the numeral "0" in "2012".  This coin is limited to a mintage of 15,000 examples world-wide and retails for $104.95 CAD.

2012 $300 PURE GOLD COIN - THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 1952-2012 (WITH CANADIAN DIAMOND)
The Mint is pleased to mark the Diamond Jubilee by being the first mint in the world to issue a coin integrating a genuine diamond.  Using a proprietary process, a certified Canadian diamond is locked inside the coin's rim as the coin itself is struck.  This allows the proud owner of this innovative coin to admire the diamond's brilliance on either side of a coin fashioned of 99.999% pure gold; the purest of its kind in the world.  The reverse of this coin depicts a portrait by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw, of a young Queen Elizabeth II, with her hand outstretched as if to touch the genuine Canadian diamond symbolizing her sixty-year reign.  Limited to 1,500 examples world-wide, this coin is accompanied by a serialized certificate confirming the diamond's authenticity, weight and clarity. This exclusive new coin with a $300 face value retails for $1,999.95 CAD.

2012 $5 PURE GOLD AND 2012 $20 FINE SILVER COIN - THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 1952-2012: ROYAL CYPHER
Another enduring symbol of Canada's longest-reigning monarch is the Royal Cypher; identifying the monarch in the same manner as a coat of arms.  Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Cypher, distinctly featuring her monogram; "E II R" beneath St. Edward's crown, is framed by a garland of maple leaves, at the centre of which a maple leaf is overlaid by a diamond outline showing the numeral "60".  Limited to a total mintage of 7,500 and crafted of 1/10 ounce of 99.99% pure gold, the $5 pure gold Royal Cypher coin retails for $259.95 CAD.  The $20 fine silver version of the Royal Cypher retails for $84.95 CAD and is limited to 15,000 coins world-wide.

2012 $20 FINE SILVER COIN - THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE 1952-2012:
QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND PRINCE PHILIP
The Diamond Jubilee celebrates countless personal milestones in the 60-year history of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, of which her marriage to HRH Prince Philip is one of the most enduring.  They are featured together in profile on an exquisitely engraved 99.99% pure silver collector coin designed by Canadian portrait artist Laurie McGaw.  This classic design is framed by two decorative elements containing a shamrock, a rose, a thistle and maple leaves to symbolize the common bonds between Canada and the United Kingdom. Limited to a world-wide mintage of 15,000 pieces, this coin retails for $84.95 CAD.   This coin can also be purchased as part of a three-piece set including the $20 fine silver   Royal Cypher coin and the $20 fine silver Queen's Diamond Jubilee coin with crystal (issued May 2, 2011).  This coin series is presented in a unique lacquered wood box emblazoned with Her Majesty's Royal Cypher and retails for $274.95 CAD.

All Diamond Jubilee collector coins can be ordered directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca as of today. They are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

For further information:

Christine Aquino
Director, Communications
Royal Canadian Mint
Telephone: [phone]
[email protected]